osamu once told atsumu that girls liked it when guys used their name in a sentence a lot. unfortunately for atsumu, he just sounds stupid.
"heyyyy, y/n. how ya doin, y/n?"
"hi, atsumu! m'fine. you?"
you ask as you see the blonde haired twin slide into the seat beside you.
"yeah. y/n, i'm fine too. i'm glad you asked y/n. what'cha doing, y/n?"
two seats behind you, you hear sunas voice with a lazy laugh, "why's he talking like that? he sounds dumb as fuck-." only to be interrupted with osamu's elbow making contact with his ribs. "shut up for once, rin."
"just homework, forgot to do it last night."
"hahha yeah, y/n." you didn't make a joke?
suna was right, he was talking weird. you've noticed the overusage of your name as soon as he started talking. you knew osamu's dumbass probably told him that girls probably fawn over stuff like that. you've seen the tiktoks.
but coming out of atsumu's mouth, it sounded cute. so you didn't stop him, you did however, tried to stop giggles coming out of your mouth at his poor attempt.
"sooo y/n. i was wondering.. if you're, y'know. potentially.. free this saturday. how does that sound y/n?"
"no way this dumbass just-" "shut up, rin! it's working. see, i'm always right." "it's not working you fatass."
"atsumu."
"yes, y/n?"
"please never listen to osamu ever again."
to that, you hear the gray haired twin gasp in shock and suna's laugh as he takes a picture of osamu's face as proof of his failure.
"i'll go on a date with you, but drop the name stuff. you sound stupid. cute, but stupid."
note: the sexual tension between me and disappearing for seven months ughhhh. sry i'm gonna post a tiny explanation but basically im a wuss and got scared but im back now yay!
warnings. suggestive, sleeping bag NSFW soon. MINORS DNI
details. fem!reader / manager!reader / bokuto's sister!reader / cuddly!akaashi / platonic?touching, petting / almost kissing / unrequited crushes / slowburn / traditional love triangle / charged looks / mentions of older-sister-generational stress / walking him like a dog, etc. / 2k words
links. my masterlist. my ao3. more haikyuu. my side. my inbox.
The bus didn't -couldn't- stop right at your campsite. It was a small hike up a twisted and winding trail to reach the rental land.
Bokuto called for you. Your nickname- it made you flinch, and made the others laugh.
"Hop on my back!"
It's not like you were falling behind. He was bored, so he teased. All 1's and 0's with this brainless specimen.
"That's not happening," You ducked under a branch that smacked him square in the face.
When you arrived, you had never seen a group of guys so useless, before. A number of them were stumbling around, most sitting on logs and chatting as they rummaged through their own bags. A handful were trying to get the fire started with wet wood, ignorant to the dry package you bought.
Not a soul was interested in doing the work to coordinate pitching tents, establish seating, or gather wood.
Despite your best efforts to remain unseen and unheard, you knew it would be a long time before anyone stepped up to do it.
You threw a glance to Bokuto and discovered that he was already looking in your direction. Thoughtless, was his expectancy for you to always be the one to fix things.
A part of you didn't blame him. He didn't know of you to act any other way, nor did he have the same level of faith in the others.
Confiding in him was tricky. He kept wanting to interrupt you, to call everyone over, but you managed to hold him at bay by angling him away from distractions.
At last, when you were ready, he stole another glance to you and took a deep breath.
"O-KAYY!!" Bokuto called over the clamor of under-utilized chaos.
He set his hands on his hips when the hush fell, then motioned to you.
"Little boss speaking!!"
You were much quieter, and not so keen to take the spotlight he established. He patted you forward, hard.
"Oka-y so-- I thought-," You swallowed, and mustered up a little more volume like you had to at games, "I thought we could break into teams! So please be patient!"
You walked forward to Kuroo- you had to start strong when you still were fresh: "Kuroo, Fukunaga, Shibiyama, and Kai. You're setting up the big tent. Please scoot right."
Kuroo smiled as the group did just so; the only reason you noticed was because his hand went up to rub his jaw.
"A little more. Yeah. You'll set it up right where you're standing."
They all nodded and looked at the good, flat ground under them.
"Yaku, Haiba, Sarukui, Akaashi, your team has the two smaller tents."
Yamamoto crossed his arms and barely bit something back. You called his entire team aside from him. You turned immediately to your left and put your hand on his shoulder,
"Yamamoto- you need to gather as much firewood as you can find, as quickly as you can."
He reworked into something by far more docile in nature. His arms uncrossed but his shoulder flexed under your hand. "Yes ma'am!"
It was fine that he sprinted off, since he had the only solo job.
Cutting through the sea of giggles, you pointed towards an obvious and sturdy cedar, "Please set them up over by that tree. They're less likely to be blown away by winds coming off the lake."
A few approving nods at the shared logic. You were getting warm.
"Please read the manuals that come with the tents! Kuroo and Akaashi are in charge of their respective groups-- so, listen to them!"
They shared a quick, loaded look.
"Aaand Kotaru: Bring me the biggest rock you can find. Washio! Can you help him?"
You spotted some good ones on the trail up. Bokuto copied your rock-motion with your hands and began his wandering.
Washio stooped down to you on his way to follow the human spring, "Can I ask why?"
"It's... a safety thing."
He gave you a solemn thumbs up and kept walking. That's all you needed to say.
With almost everyone occupied, you were free to tie your hammock up somewhere private. A quiet and well-lit spot, where you could get some vantage on the rest of the camp, would help your nerves settle.
The two tent groups scampered to work. They rushed through assembly and heckled the opposing team every once in a while.
When Yamato and Konoha realized they hadn't been called, shunned by both teams, they came to you soon after. They pushed on each other to speak first.
"What about us, little boss?"
"Hey- We don't have to sleep in these groups, right?"
You rubbed your brow. You hoped that wasn't a common thought. You didn't give a damn about their sleeping arrangements.
"Little boss..." You muttered, rubbing the back of your neck, "I wanted you two to get the grill set up. Can you be in charge of food?"
They got on it and left you alone.
All it took was somebody to spin the wheel. Once the cogs understood how to turn, they kept themselves moving.
You got to enjoy the simple and solitary task of organizing your own gear.
The worst of possibilities had been flashing through your mind all day. What if you missed the bus? Or the second bus, from the camping company? Then the tents- what if the stakes broke, or they couldn't set them up, or lost a manual? What if somebody rolled their ankle? Got lost? Lost- then hurt?
You had suffered a thousand little heart attacks today altogether. It was only noon.
As nobody needed you over the crawling pace of a few hours, your shoulders loosened. Your face began to lose its usual tightness.
Around right when you were beginning to think, even hope, that maybe, your spot was invisible-- you were joined.
It was just Akaashi. The best option by far, but he looked displeased, and more than usual.
"May I join?" He requested with great, distracted effort. There was so much more there, and you had only half paid attention to his approach. You placed your bookmark and gazed at him, waiting for more context.
"Keiji!!" Bokuto sang from many trees down with astounding and sharp vibrato.
That was enough to take pity on him. Though you didn't agree that he needed to hide -an alibi that he was busy probably would've sufficed-, you felt more conflicted telling him no when he asked to get in your hammock with you.
It was trickier than it looked. You warned him, but not enough.
It wasn't okay. He wasn't done elbowing you in the ribs quite yet.
"Ow- stop moving!" You groaned. You blinked once he actually did, when he was so quiet that you realized he wasn't even breathing. "And don't tell me to shush! You climbed into my hammock."
He sighed and wiggled, very lightly, to put his nearest shoulder and leg underneath yours. That did make everything fit a lot better.
You had been out here for almost half a day, but he still smelled like that spicy, woody cologne you liked so much. He was hot to the touch. It was impossible not to sink into a commodity so precious as heat.
"You think it's gonna snow?"
"I hope not," He fisted your warm, electric blanket closer to his face and sighed, "Damn- this thing is nice."
You tried your best not to feel every little adjustment he made. The rise and fall of his chest alone was throwing you from a response right away.
"I know. Let's hope it's enough for tonight."
The sound of him turning his head towards you was grounds to look away, restless, and suppress your shiver. His concern, too, was palpable with no words. He waited for you to elaborate for a while.
"You are not sleeping out here," He scoffed at your quiet.
No reaction. What were you supposed to tell him? You figured it was obvious how uncomfortable the environment made you.
A tent, with even the best mix of these idiots, would be suffocating.
His brow wrinkled at your small, dismissive exhale.
"Ohh, no," He swiped your book away before you could finish cracking it open.
Your eyes narrowed at the way he searched you, waiting for you to get pissed off. His bottom arm was squeezing at your waist and kept you guarded, as he abandoned the novel where you couldn't get to it. He rolled onto his side, into you, and dragged the silence.
"You know you're going to get sick," He began, gaze sharp and calculating, "And you think Bokuto won't give you hell for that? What're you gonna do when he freaks out over his sister not feeling well?"
A tiny threat. He could get away with those when it was Bokuto, maybe the rest of the team, but you clocked it. He used that big brain for a lot of things; to include, almost every time, getting his way.
"Don't start that." You spat.
No phrase would illustrate how severely you wanted to be left alone tonight. If he told his bestie, it would be like setting the hounds loose. Not to mention, you were embarrassed by how badly you missed your bed, 4 walls with central heating, and privacy.
It was true that Bokuto would crash if something happened to you on this trip. If you caught a cold, or left, he'd fall into a deep and almost impenetrable depression-- rendering every effort you've taken useless.
He smiled and settled onto his back. "Worth a shot-,"
"-So, if I said I didn't want you to sleep outside, would you change your mind?"
You relaxed too, and spared another glance to the side. He was staring up at the barren canopy.
"That's bold," You muttered in a heavy sigh.
"Myeah? Is it?" He muttered back.
Nothing about his expression changed, per say. But he looked a little older upon a second glance. You stared at the gaps of sky between branches and nudged him with your foot.
Some might say that you had been stringing him along for far too many years.
The question was no longer if he liked you. Though he had never confessed, it hung heavy in his words, aged his eyes, and strengthened his touch.
What you could only wonder now -maybe suspect, at this point- that this was his final declaration. Twisted up into some big 'senior trip' that you couldn't say no to. Who was the cruel one now?
"Trouble in paradise?"
Kuroo's dulcet tone pierced through your shared and burdensome silence.
"Fuck-!"
You yelped over Akaashi's curse and jumped completely upright at the sound.
While both of you were sufficiently startled, it felt like you may have overreacted. Embarrassment sank deep into your bones. You hung your head for many reasons.
"Akaashi," He giggled, with one more stolen glance to your tense form between the two of them, "I just wanted to tell ya that--,"
His hand was on your shoulder so he could lean forward, past you. That hand was staggeringly big, you couldn't help from noticing, even in the depths of your humiliation. He leaned forward but didn't place his weight on you.
"You're out."
Out? You turned towards Akaashi, lost, and found his face crafted like stone. Kuroo tapped him.
"Fuck you, dude."
"Wow. Sore loser- Hahah!" Kuroo cackled.
It came together soon after that detail. They were all playing hide and seek. He joined you, snuggling up underneath, as a pretty smart hiding spot. No wonder he felt so bold; he had plausible deniability that any of that contact was 'for the game.'
As Akaashi struggled to sit up, throwing your weight distribution all out of whack-- Kuroo kept laughing. He laughed so hard that he snorted, actually.
It forced a surprised chuckle from you. Akaashi shook his head and didn't share in how cute you thought it was.
notes: yea so i guess i'm not as fearless as i like to think i am. putting my writing out is hard and, when i got some hate on quite a few posts, i kinda slithered away bc like? this is my safe space? i'd like to return to my big blog though. so that's what this is
details. fem!reader / fluffy start / mastermind!akaashi / manager!reader / biblically accurate bokuto / exposition and set-up / a little angsty / debaucherous opportunity / love triangle / 1.2k words / future parts so reply to get notifs
links. my masterlist. my ao3. more haikyuu. part two here.
"Yamagata," You repeated in a bored drawl, without looking up.
You knew it was Bokuto. Akaashi was probably with him, too, judging by the sound of their footsteps.
This was another one of his delusions, a grand and fantastic half-baked idea that everyone loved to entertain, but nobody was ever ready to take full responsibility for.
He came to visit your classroom during lunch to tell you all about how it was destined to be the best time of your lives. 'Fate,' 'It just came to me when I was...,' 'Guaranteed to work,' was cute, to a point.
Bokuto-designed team merchandise; that time he nearly convinced three other guys to start charging people to watch the team train; selling his own autographs at Nationals (not one sold); taping 'Fukurodani highlights, but it was only him. And it wasn't even all highlights.
This is not even mentioning the other trips he 'planned.'
"You know that's a..."
You only looked halfway up to think, "Six hour ride? Yeah. Six hours," And continued your scribbling. He couldn't sit still on a school bus for three, let alone double that on public transportation. It was a mystery how he convinced anyone to sustain him long enough to tell you.
"Well, it's--," Bokuto grew warm at how disinterested you were.
He may have been an idiot, but he wasn't blind. It was going to be a whole thing to get you on board. That's why Akaashi came with. Not to help, of course- but to watch him try.
"It'll be longer than that," Akaashi mumbled, mostly to himself as he thought, too.
The entire itinerary was an undertaking only suitable for you two to man.
"You said, uh- y'said Yamagata, right?" Your brow furrowed at his comment.
You already accounted for the stops the Yamanote line would take, plus transfers, extra plus the bathroom breaks they would all need at the least opportune time-- switching between urban and rural lines, where you have to wait for another hour if you miss one instead of the 15 minutes they were all used to.
You sat back at last, but it was to open your thermos and take a sip of your tea.
The weather had been downright frigid this season. Who the hell wanted to camp out in the cold? It'd be a miracle if it didn't snow.
Akaashi plucked one of your highlighters from Bokuto, who had begun playing with it the moment he spotted the thing unused on your book.
"He wants more 'manpower,' so he invited the Nekoma team."
Oh, goodness.
You nearly spit your tea out- you sputtered to choke it down and, after composing yourself, cleared your throat.
Akaashi mindlessly rolled it against his chapped lips, and muttered, "Wasn't a bad idea, really."
"Mm-hmmm..." Face burning, your mind racing, you had to ask at a bare whisper to save your voice.
"They said yes?"
"Oh, yeah--," Akaashi rattled off before Bokuto could take a breath, engaged again, "We got as far as the group chat. They've got about, uhh, let's see... seven now, that are in."
Seven? Was there a possibility that Kuroo let that many members of his team go, and not himself- the team captain? Your temples throbbed with the need to know.
Akaashi studied you, triumphant, at how you grew heavy with thought in an instant.
Bokuto was just excited to see you express anything other than total detachment.
He bit his lip, big hands sprawling over your fresh pen work as he leaned to inspect your face for more weakness.
"I can totally add you!"
"Mm-mm, nooo- no!"
You shook your head at him, but he was already possessed by the invisible unfurling of his big, adventurous senior trip-- he was looking past you with sparkling eyes.
"Aah-! Akaashi! Can you add her? Yes!! Now we can really get started! Don't you--"
He squinted, lips pursed in rare consideration. He recalled slowly, "You... said something about Nekoma before."
"Yeah, she likes the team."
"Right! Yes- yeah! Because-," He leaned once more on your desk, a big, sharp grin causing you to back completely into your chair, "They're all so smart! That's right!"
Bokuto immediately began to take credit for the connection. It was shocking that he remembered your throw away comment so long ago.
"WOO!!"
He whooped loudly with his fists in the air, causing the entire classroom to go silent, and chugged, unbothered, out the door. He stopped short of leaving, though, and pointed right at your exasperated form still slumped into your palms.
"(Y/n), you're going."
His sing-songy voice down the hall kept both you and Akaashi staring at each other, tired.
"Eeeven if I have to draaaag youuuu theeeere!!"
The big double doors clanged shut, far away, and you gave a huge, defeated sigh.
"Fuck..."
Akaashi pulled up a chair. He leaned forward against the back, and put his crossed arms on the free space of your desk.
"You really gonna go?"
You scoffed, hands up, then slamming back into your lap, "I- I don't--,"
It was quiet for many seconds as you sat facing forward, eyes closed. You had to process it before giving him an answer.
"Yeah."
"Yeah?"
"Mhm."
Akaashi made a settling noise. You peeked and you found him chewing on that highlighter, deep in more thought.
You swiped it. You chewed on that highlighter- it was bad enough that they were passing it back and forth.
"Stop that," You muttered.
He chuckled. He flipped through the folded corners of your textbook, and raised his brow at the smushed, somewhat illegible writing on your papers.
"He's such a dumbass..." You followed his eyeline and leaned on your knuckles.
Reminded again of the weather from the steam rising from your cup, you scoffed: "Okinawa? In January? God... You're kidding me."
"December," Akaashi corrected.
You looked up to his barely concealed smile. He was still flipping the corners of your textbook, all the margins containing some sort of scribbles of Kuroo's name.
"Wait-- next week?"
"Mmhm."
You and him had one week, no, not even-- six days, to plan a trip for-- you checked your phone-- 16 people.
"Akaashi," Your hand grabbed his busy fingers so he would stop all that noise.
"This is impossible. Tell him it's impossible."
He was too quiet. Too content. Moreso than his usual tolerance to Bokuto being the-way-that-he-is. You finally noticed that he was biting the inside of his cheek.
Then he looked up at your face. You knew right before he admitted it. The bell rang, breaking through some of his quiet words, but you didn't need a perfect confession.
"It was my idea-."
"Why?" You pressed before a proper beat.
He rose, returned the chair, and slung his bag over his shoulder.
"(Y/n), we're graduating soon," That expression he wore was one you had only seen a couple of times, and weren't prepared to handle right now, "We've got a few months."
Joining him, you were attempting to meet his severity, but lacked in every way possible because you still did not understand.
"Months." He repeated. Softer.
People were flowing in and out of the doors. He looked to the body traffic, then down at the floor.
"66 days and we're not seeing these guys again."
In days, that sounded pretty bad.
A little cold, and maybe not quite what he needed, you held yourself and shrugged. It wasn't wrong, just tasteless. The late bell was going to ring soon and you didn't want him to linger for his own good.
Tear stricken, you wiped harshly at your eyes and looked down at your phone, the call long ended by now. You should have realised the minute he had answered the call. You should have hung up.
But you didn’t; and maybe it was the sickness twisting your gut or the trepidation leaking into your mind that skewed whatever sense you had left inside of you. Nevertheless, you sat there, on your bedroom floor, completely and utterly alone, and you waited.
For five, whole, minutes.
The knock came a second later, echoing through the bare halls of your father’s home. You heard a distant creak and a short shuffle before your father emerged from his bedroom, supporting himself against the walls.
“Who is it?” He gruffed.
You had pushed yourself to your feet then, and whipped open your door, racing down the hallway. Just ahead of your father, you threw your body against the front door.
“It’s for me,” You said, smiling softly. “You need to rest, dad, please. Go to bed.”
You father’s eyes widened, only a fraction, before he peered over to the window lining the doors. He raised a peculiar brow before shaking his head. Then, without another word, he retreated. You looked back at the door and swung it open when your father was no longer in sight. Kuroo stood on the other side, hands stuffed into his pockets, dressed in a plain black t-shirt and his signature red Nekoma trackpants.
“Hi,” He said. His gaze was intense; a quiet, tender concern obscured the light in his eyes.
“Hi…”
Kuroo swung his shoulders and peaked over your head. When he looked back down at you, his lips were pursed, throat bobbing in deep consideration. “Are you okay?”
“I didn’t mean to call you, so… you don’t have to be here.”
“It doesn’t matter if you meant to call me or not,” He sighed, almost frustratingly. “I’m the one that received the call, so I’m the one that’s here.”
“Kuroo–”
“Are you okay?” He asked again.
He was persistent. That, you would give him. But it wasn’t fair to leave him hanging. For you to have called his phone, however unintentionally, and waited for him to come, however intentionally, and leave him with the impression that you were intact was not fair.
You took a step outside, toeing the line of the boundary you once said you would not cross, and frowned. Conflict roiled inside of you. One side of your shoulders weighed deeper than the other, telling you to keep it together; do not let them see what you have hidden so well to the honest parts of yourself. The other side, the one you didn’t recognise anymore, told you to heal.
To change the fate you’ve spindled for yourself.
To change.
Not just because you needed to, but because you wanted to.
With your eyes kept to the ground, the door closed behind you, you took another step closer to Kuroo and said the most you could ever say to someone who you believed, without a doubt in your mind, would never understand.
“No.”
“Then, let’s go.” In under a second, he’d grabbed your wrist all too gently and tugged you onwards.
Out the front gate of your house, out towards the footpath, out towards the school.
“Kuroo!” You yelped, weakly tugging your arm free.
Still, he kept walking. You jogged and caught up to his pace, huffing as you shoved his arm. “Where are we going?”
Kuroo shrugged, sparing you a glance, “We’re going to let off some steam.”
“At the school?” You asked incredulously.
“At the school,” He confirmed, shrugging again.
You sighed, closing your focus on keeping pace with the man beside you. A comfortable silence fell between you two as you walked, very out of sync with one another. Every few steps, you’d fall behind, jogging again to keep up with him. Then, you started taking longer strides to match his footsteps. But with every large step taken forward, he had seemed to double your speed with wider lunges forward. You eyed the raven-haired man beside you, watching as his face remained indecipherable.
“I saw your messages,” You mumbled. Your feet relented, a dull ache resonating just below your knee. “I didn’t know what to say to you.”
“You didn’t have to say anything,” Kuroo sighed. He appeared beside you again, walking significantly slower than he had a moment ago. “But I was really trying to help.”
“I know you were.” You bit your bottom lip, holding your forearms in your hands. “I was just angry at myself and you were the only other person there I could blame… I’m sorry.”
You saw a shadow flicker in the corner of his lips before they curled into a gentle smile. “I forgive you.”
Another period of silence thickened the air. Not uncomfortable, not suffocating, but warm. Peaceful.
“You know, I find it a bit suspicious you keep showing up when everything seems to be going wrong,” You joked. “Maybe I might start a rumour that you’re my bad luck.”
“Sure, I’ll give you permission as long as it means I’ll be there every time you need help.” Kuroo laughed. Then, a pause. “I’ll be there waiting.”
You joined his laughter and nudged your shoulder into him, feeling lighter than you had in a very long time.
It took another twenty minutes to reach the school’s gymnasium. It was just as you had left it the evening the team returned from training camp. The volleyball net was strung high, taut as it stretched from one end of the court to the other. Stray volleyballs littered the floor, as if the designated clean up crew of the team (Fukunaga) abandoned their job halfway. The right side of your shoulder twitched, sending a shrill pain up the side of your neck as you followed Kuroo to one end of the court. When he turned around, he revealed a volleyball resting carefully in the palm of his hand.
“Show me,” He said quietly, presenting the ball to you.
“What?”
“Show me your anger, your sadness– Whatever you are keeping to yourself, show me and give it all to him.” He pointed to the volleyball.
You shook your head, heart twisting in different directions.
“I’m not asking you to play,” He said firmly. “Don’t run a game, don’t think about form or jumping or all that crap. Think about how you feel and let it out on something that was designed to be hit.”
Your eyebrows furrowed as you stared at the yellow and blue ball. Again, you shook your head, retreating like the ball itself was an allergy you couldn’t risk coming into contact with. But your heart jumped when Kuroo leaned forward, gripping your wrist as he did at your father’s home, and pulled you back in.
“Think about that fear, too,” He whispered. “Face all the scary, angry, sad things head on. Do it with your heart fully in it.”
“Kuroo, I–”
“I’m not asking,” He repeated. “If you keep it in the way you’ve been doing, you’re going to continue hurting yourself and you’re going to continue hurting my team. The same team you’re also a part of now.”
At every word, your heart began untwisting itself, finding loops and paths back to its original form, and beating faster and faster.
“You’re not a curse to the team, to me, or your father,” Kuroo continued, slowly placing the ball from his hand to yours, curling your fingers around the sphere of the volleyball. “But your anger, and whatever else you’re keeping inside, is hurting everyone all the same.”
Your eyes watered again, subjected to the sheer intensity of Kuroo’s gaze as he let you go, lingering one finger after the other until his hand was no longer wrapped around your wrist. The volleyball, now transferred to you, was familiar in your hands. It was light too, and yet all too heavy at the same time.
“Let it out and show me.”
Kuroo took a step back and nodded towards the court, vast and empty. He was giving you the space and the patience you needed and never allowed, free reign of the territory that bound chains around your heart.
You held your breath. And in one, sharp movement, you let the ball go.
And it flew upwards.
Time moved slowly as it raised higher and higher, floating in the air for a singular moment before beginning its descent. You followed it, tracked it, as if it was the only thing in the room. The ceiling lights blurred in the background and you ignored the sting in your eyes as you stared, too afraid to blink.
Your body moved simultaneously, adjusting so subtly, so instinctively. Feet spread apart, body raised against your toes, arms lifted high.
And swung.
Your hand was just slightly off, but not wrong enough to matter. The pain slammed against your hand, jolting through your body as the ball launched forward. You fell back against your heels and braced yourself, sending your hands automatically to your thighs.
Your heart beat too fast. Your breaths were too uneven. Your body was too accustomed, too familiar.
Like you never forgot.
Across the court, the ball dropped to the other end, inside the lines of the rectangle you knew all too well.
And a singular tear fell from the corner of your eye.
“Kuroo,” You said weakly.
“Yeah?”
“Can you get me another one?”
Masterlist | Next
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Take A Chance Synopsis
After a year in hiding, Izumi Nekomata is tasked with coaching the Nekoma High men's volleyball team after her father falls ill. Izumi reluctantly agrees despite her past with the sport and swallows her pride to fulfill her father's wishes.
Meeting the rowdy team and their charismatic captain, she is taught to love what she once lost and let go of what had been holding her back.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ Pairing
Kuroo Tetsurou x F! Reader
a/n: please let me know if you'd like to me added to a tag list-- I'm sorry this took me so long, I was really busy... GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL?!
your boyfie has to leave a little earlier in the morning than you would like, so before he can leave you make him pay the toll.
reader x Akaashi , Bokuto , Kuroo , Tsukishima
all works owned by @hinahaikyuu— please do not plagiarize, copy or modify my works.
Akaashi stood there in front of you in the door way. You were standing between him and the door, holding your arms out like you were ready to catch some sort of huge boulder. He smiled down at you with a smirk, one hand on his work bag and the other on his hip. “What are you doing my love?”
“You can not leave. Until the toll is paid.” You gave him your widest, morning, bedhead smile. He rolled his eyes, putting his bag down and wrapping his arms around your waist, lifting you slightly off your feet. He held you like that for a moment, before pulling his headback and leaving a kiss on your forehead, then your nose, and then your lips. He loved your giggle.
“May I leave now? I have to get to Tenma’s soon.” He brushed your hair out of your face before standing up straight.
“I don’t really want you to...” you faked a thought, “but I guess I can let you go if you pay more fees later.” He smiled, kissing you one last time.
“I’ll be home around 6. I’ll pay all the fees that pile up.”
Bokuto always left at 5am to go on his morning run, returning around 5:45 to shower and get ready. Often you were up and ready by 6:30am making some breakfast and getting his lunch ready. Today however was his day off, one of the two days a week you two were supposed to sleep in and just spend the morning cuddling. When you finally woke up to see your boyfriend was not in fact in bed, you stood and went to the family room, seeing him put on his shoes.
“What are you do Kou?” you yawned, “I thought we were sleeping in and having a snuggle movie day?”
“We will baby, I promise!” He smiled, beaming at you as he stood. “I just wanted to go on a run this morning with Hinata. He had a new route he wanted to show me.” He walked over to you, watching you duck under his size and stand in front of the door, staring him down. “Don’t look at me like that baby.”
“You promised, you must pay the fees before you leave!” He looked at you confused. After all, you were just standing there with your hands crossed over your chest. Walking over, he stood in front of you, towering you before he wrapped his arms under your thighs and lifted you to wrap your legs around his waist, peppering you with kisses. Your giggles filled his heart as he also spun you around.
“All the kisses for my baby!” He cheered, spinning you one last time before plopping you on the couch and laying above you, using his arm to hold himself up. He gave you one more kiss, “I will be super quick. No more than thirty minutes and when I get back and get all showered, we’ll order our favorites and just stay in the whole rest of the day.”
Kuroo had just gotten home from work, before he realized he had forgotten to pick up the grocery order on his way home today. You told him you could call and get it delivered, you told him he didn’t have to leave again, you told him you didn’t want him too. Why wouldn’t he listen.
“Let me fix my mistakes, baby girl.” You sat on the couch pouting, it wasn’t that big of a deal to you. An easy fix, and he didn’t have to leave again. “I promise I’ll get the groceries and come right back.”
“This isn’t what paying it forward means.” you teased, he said he would pay you back for all your hard house work, especially since you were exhausted from your own job. the only thing you asked him to do was pick up the groceries. He walked over to you, kneeling in front of you.
“You asked me to do one thing, and I messed up and forgot. It may not be a big deal to you baby girl, but it is to me. I’ll drive down, and be back in minutes. Now let me pay it forward.” He stood, towering over you and placing a long, solid, comforting kiss to your lips before heading out the door. You stopped him again, your arms wrapped around his waist.
“Thank you. I love you Tetsu. I’ll have everything else ready for dinner tonight.” He smiled, giving you another kiss.
“Take it easy, I’ll help you cook tonight too.”
Tsuki wasn’t so big on affection, he showed you he loved you in other ways. Having a bath ready or you, ordering your favorite take out when you were needing a break from cooking, helping you study for your exams in a class he took the previous year. Occasionally, he would show you a little more attention.
“Okay Kei!” You sang from the kitchen, putting his lunch in a bag. “You should have plenty of food and snacks today, so don’t worry about coming home if you can’t make it.” He had practice after class today, and he wasn’t expecting to be home at all.
“Thank you.” He spoke from the door way, putting on his jacket before taking his bag from you and putting it over his shoulder. “I should be back around nine.”
“Sounds good. I’ll make a little extra food incase your still hungry. I have work at six am tomorrow so I’ll be going to bed early myself.” You slipped your arms around him, sneaking in a hug. He wasn’t super affectionate, no. But he at least gave you hugs.
“Alright, I’ll try not to wake you.” He held on to you for a moment, giving you a kiss before letting you go, then another one, and another one. Your smile cleared the rainy skies that day.
“What was that about. I liked it. You should do it more.”
“I’m always late, or running behind. If I don’t pay those late fees, I’ll be in a lot more trouble that’s just not worth it.”
you were getting really tired of waiting for kuroo on your weekly dinner dates. outings, movie nights and everything in between due to the fact that he always cancelled. he had been increasingly absent, but you also knew he was rising the ranks at work and getting closer to the position he wanted so that he could make a change in the volleyball community.
so when he told you that he was going to be thirty minutes late, you put him first. again. like you always did. because what kind of a partner would you be if you didn’t allow him to pursue his dreams? but when your bread got cold, and thirty minutes turned into an hour and an hour turned into two, it was almost embarrassing. it was almost embarrassing having to tell the same waiter who had watched the two of you fall in love, “ah yeah. tetsurō is just busy with work again. he should be here soon.” and then seeing the look of pity, as you walked out of the restaurant alone, as if he knew something that you didn’t. or something that you didn’t want to admit you knew.
it was almost embarrassing to leave the restaurant only eating a few pieces of bread to hold you over so that you could wait for your boyfriend, only for him to not show up. no full meal eaten, or even half because the two of you couldn’t stop talking, like how it had been when the two of you first moved in together. no text telling you he had to stay even later or even a response to your questioning if he was still working. even though you had a feeling he wasn’t.
it was almost, almost, embarrassing as you called for a cab, choking back emotion because tetsurō wasn’t with you, again. and when you arrive to your apartment, and step onto the sidewalk, you’re watching the taxi driver as he pulls away, wishing that maybe he could be the one to bring your boyfriend back to you.
as almost embarrassing as all of that was, when you walked into your apartment to see the love of your life, with someone else, it is embarrassing that you’re not even shocked.
a heavy sigh leaves your lungs, alerting the two of them that they’d been caught. kuroo pulls away from them, a look of shock written on his face as if he hadn’t expected you to come home so “early”. as if you hadn’t just been waiting for him at your favorite restaurant for the past two hours.
he scrambles away from them and darts up to you, looking like a fish out of water as he’s grasping for words. “yn.. please i can explain,” he finally says.
but you don’t want an explanation, because you already knew. all the late nights working, or even over nights at the office, missed phone calls, missed dinners just like the one tonight. so instead of letting him explain, you respond with a quiet yet firm, “get out.” whoever he was with decides to take your advice, and begins to grab their things frantically, but kuroo just stares.
when he fails to move, you finally look at him. anguish written all over his face, and you couldn’t help but wonder, where was this passion to fight for you when you were waiting for him? “what did i say tets— kuroo. get out of my apartment,” the correction comes as yet another surprise to your now ex-boyfriend, but he finally complies, only grabbing his jacket on the way out. and as soon as the door slams shut you let out another breath. one you didn’t realize you were holding in, as well as a few tears that spill.
you didn’t miss the signs, you realize now, you ignored them. because as much as it may have hurt to be losing the man you had planned to spend the rest of your life with, you had hoped, wished and prayed that all your efforts would bring him back to you.
so as you began to let the dam of tears finally flow, you poured yourself a glass of wine and made your way to the balcony attached to the bedroom.
your phone was blowing up with texts from kuroo. from work. missed phone calls and a couple voicemails. you snatch the device from your pocket and as you go to silence the never ending pinging, you stop at your home screen.
a picture of a smiling kuroo and an even happier you. and you laugh to yourself, because how could you have been so stupid? how could you have let this go on so long? but the one photo induces a spiral of longing, looking and wondering.
as you continue to look at the countless photos in your library, each one capturing the most important or insignificant moments of your relationship, you wonder where you went wrong. because you put every ounce of yourself into your relationship with kuroo just for it to all to go to shit.
it wasn’t the nights where you let the endless buzzing of his phone go “unnoticed” while he was asleep and you laid awake. nor was it the many times he had stayed late to work and all you had done was encourage him. you decide that it was because maybe you had continued to just let yourself fall.
fall in line with the lies, fall right into the trap that is what we know as love. because as you continued to fall in love with kuroo all these months, he had begun to fall out of it. you could tell now, looking back on it, that he was never really with you when you had needed him. his mind was elsewhere. he was elsewhere.
not caring about the amount of time and effort you were putting into him. brushing away all that you had done for him and in turn all of the time that the both of you had put into your relationship, one that was supposed to last forever.
and so sitting on your balcony, drinking wine and crying softly to yourself you come to a realization. one that you wish you would have acknowledged all those months ago when you had first suspected kuroo of cheating. you realize now, that kuroo is not the man you thought he was. and if he would have respected you at all, he would have had the decency to tell you about his loss of feelings. but instead he was selfish, like you too had been. because no matter where you look now, all you see is him and you wish that he would have had the decency to at least spare you that casualty amongst all others.
Predators and their prey (yandereMafia kuroo x reader x yanderemafia Bokuto)
When you first moved to Tokyo you didn't expect to end up singing at a bar for money but it was the best you could find for now. It paid well and you didn't have to worry about too many creeps you just wished it was in a better part. Even though the bar you work at was a neutral zone meaning that anyone who came into the bar didn't have to be afraid of getting their head blown off by someone from a different group. That didn't mean that the area around it was safe with the yakuza running wild, cutting the land into. in pieces to make territories for themselves Tokyo there were two major groups the Nekoma and the Fukurodani both very powerful, lucky for you you've never come across any of the members or so you thought.
You never notice but there were always two pairs of eyes glowing in the darkest corner of the bar watching you intently whenever you were on stage. They were the most powerful men in Tokyo and they weren't afraid to throw their weight around to get what they wanted. So, when you started getting gifts that were life in your dressing room, if you could call it that it was more like a walk-in closet than an actual room the only real furniture being a small table with a mirror. They were the normal stuff you would get sometimes flowers mostly but then they turn from innocent to vulgar in the matter of two weeks.
From the most beautiful flowers you have ever seen to clothes that hardly cover anything at all along with letters that were sweet at first but at times turned most threatening. The more it happened the more stressed you became so one night as you sat at the counter thinking about possibly moving out of town with what little money you had two men approached.
“Tough day?” you looked to your right to find a young man he had deep red dress shirt with a black tie, vest, dress pants and shoes.
“Tough crowd tonight?” looking to your left there was another young man who wore something similar to the one on your right but his shirt was yellow with a white vest.
“You guys don't know the half of it.”
“Will we have nowhere to be and the night is still young so we can lend an ear for a while.” said the man on the right.
You smiled and figured if they were willing to listen then what the hell so you went on to tell them your woes of the past few weeks.
“So, a crazed fan huh?” said Bokuto , while talking to the two young men you learned their names.
“Pretty much, I'm thinking of leaving if it doesn't stop soon.”
“Think they may pull something?” asked kuroo.
“Who knows people around here seemed to do a lot of crazy things.”
“We could help you if you want.”
“And how can you do that?”
“Will,” started kuroo “me and my friend here are in the business of protecting other.”
You raise a brow knowing where this was going “and what would it cost?”
“Just seeing you safe is enough for us.” said Bokuto along with seeing whoever it is bloody and broken.
You were wary of the idea but if they couldn't help then you'll just leave like you planned to. However, after about a month everything had stopped: no more letters, flowers, nothing. Sadly, there appeared that less and less people came to the bar anymore which meant less money. The two men you've become friends with are really the only ones that come around anymore meaning that you may still have to leave even if you didn't want to. You're planning on telling them on your last day here hopefully it won't be too sad of a good bye if they let you that is.
summary : kuroo didn’t want to invest his time on dates and relationships given his already hectic schedule, but one day you suddenly came crashing into his life... literally.
pairing : kuroo x fem!reader
genre : fluff + angst(?), strangers(?) to friends to lovers!
word count : 1.4k
warnings : uhh bad words ?
kuroo tetsurō.
ALMOST EVERYONE IN NEKOMA HAS HAD A CRUSH ON HIM AT SOME POINT
he definitely knows
but he never really paid much attention to it because he wanted to focus on his studies and volleyball
bUT YOU SUDDENLY CAME CRASHING INTO HIS LIFE
literally.
you two first met when you bumped into him and spilled iced coffee all over him and his paper work for english.
that paper work he almost forgot about because he’s been studying all week for tests
that paper work he crammed for last minute
that paper work on the floor that’s gotten all wet and wrinkly because of your coffee
POOR PAPER WORK 😭
POOR KUROO 😭
YOU FELT SO BAD ABOUT IT
you knew kuroo
aside from the fact that he was in most of your classes, he was also nekoma’s volleyball team captain
you had always admired him from a far not in a romantic way though and
you often think about how the heck he could balance his academics and deal with the volleyball team at the same time.
a common folk like you couldn’t relate
if you were in his position you would’ve probably given up already because having good grades and being a great team captain is definitely not easy
SO YOU FIGURED THAT HE WOULD PROBABLY YELL AT YOU OR ASK YOU TO DO LAPS AS COMPENSATION FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO WHAT YOU THINK SEEMS TO BE VERY IMPORTANT PAPER WORK
but he just took a deep sigh and said that it was okay
it’s not okay though he was literally about to explode
“i can talk to the teacher about it!! i’m gonna explain everything so you can turn it in later than the others, i can help you with it as well... if it’s okay with you.”
he agreed
and that’s when your little meet ups with kuroo started 🤩
at first it was just for that one paperwork
but after your first meeting you two immediately decided to become study buddies !
you actually needed a tutor for physics too because you sucked at it
MOVING ON
it’s already been about 3 months since you started doing the study buddies thing with kuroo and you’d be lying if you say you didn’t catch feelings for him because
YOU DEFINITELY DID
at first he would just walk you home whenever he can
then he started doing more things that made your heart go 💘💖💕💞💓💗💖💘💕💝💞💗💞💕💖💝💕💓💘
kuroo started letting you borrow his hoodies and jackets whenever you got cold
then he started holding hands with you while walking home (sometimes in school too) and that made you feel very safe
also brings you snacks and drinks he got on his way to school claiming he got it for kenma but he didn’t like them so he just gave them to you
you don’t need to lie kuroo we all know you got them for yn on purpose 🥱
he’s even got your schedule memorized so he’ll know when to squeeze in your little dates study dates 👀
and you’re just in awe because how can a man be so perfect ???
where has he been all your life ?????
then it happened, he started using CORNY PICK UP LINES
that’s when you finally accepted that you do infact like him
you hated pick up lines because it made you cringe alot 😖
but the first time kuroo did it, you’re heart suddenly started beating faster than normal then you’re stomach suddenly felt like there’s a whole zoo in there and then you started blushing red like a tomato 🍅
you’re basically whipped
kuroo : u must be a red blood cell
yn : huh? why?
kuroo : because you take the oxygen away from my lungs and straight to my heart
yn : you’re such a dork
yn’s brain : MY DORK IWBZIWHSIQHSIWHDIWJDIWBSINWIXHS
you like LIKE him alright 😼
but kuroo on the other hand..
WAS IN DENIAL ABOUT HIS FEELINGS FOR U
BUT ONE DAY KENMA POINTED IT OUT
“are you two dating?”
kuroo : huh? who?????? 😅😗😶😬
kenma : yn. the other day the others kept bugging me about it... i was busy playing and they won’t stop asking me to talk about it
kuroo : why would i be dating her?? we’re just study buddies. 😳
kenma : study buddies don’t share eachother’s hoodies.
kuroo : WELL SHE WAS COLD THAT ONE TIME
......
AND THAT OTHER TIME TOO SO 👉🏼👈🏼
kenma : oh okay. explains why 10 of your hoodies are probably with yn right now 🧐
kuroo : look, i was just being a nice person. i don’t want her to die from the cold or something.
kenma : die from the cold, sure. how about the holding hands thing, do study buddies do that as well??? 🤨
detective conan found jobless it’s detective kenma now
kuroo : i didn’t want her to get lost?
kenma : ....in school?
“OKAY FINE I LIKE HER” 😭😭😭😭
*cue the nekoma team entering the gym*
kuroo’s brain : oh shit.
lmao they weren’t even surprised about it
yaku : i thought you guys were dating already?
tora : you two kept doing all the couple stuff and it makes me feel very single :D
inuoka : please, everyone thinks they’re dating, even shoyo asked me about it during the practice match!
.....
was i being too obvious about it??? - kuroo 2k21
yaku : 👁👄👁
lev : well.. i think your pick up lines definitely gives it away, so...
kenma : for once i agree with lev 👍🏼
lev : what do you mean for once 😾
the gym doors suddenly opened revealing a very happy yn
you haven’t seen kuroo in a while because of their practices so you were very much looking forward to today
yn : HEY GUYS !! (*^o^*)
everyone suddenly scurries off leaving a very dumbfounded kuroo
yn : why did everyone suddenly leave do they hate me or something? (◞‸◟)
kuroo : no no! i just asked them to start with practice already.
lies
yn : oh okay then, why are you still standing here? go on i’ll wait for you to finish! ᵔᴗᵔ
kuroo is on edge
he doesn’t know if he’ll confess now or he’ll confess NEVER
because if you knew about his feelings for you and never confronted him about it
doesn’t that mean he got silently(?) rejected
but this is kuroo were talking about
yn : kuroo you-
kuroo : i need to tell you something
yn : it could probably wait til later, your team needs you
kuroo : no, i need to tell you now.
yn : 😶
you were nervous. kuroo has never been this serious about wanting to tell you something...
does he know about your feelings?
are you gonna get rejected... right now?
yn : look if it’s about-
kuroo : i don’t wanna go on study dates with you anymore.
“oh.”
you were frozen in your spot and your tears are finding their escape
what were you thinking how could the kuroo tetsurō like you back, you aren’t on his level and he was probably just being a good guy by doing all the things he’s done for you :(
that’s what you thought
back to kuroo
KUROO DIDN’T KNOW THAT YOU WERE TEARING UP BECAUSE HE WAS LOOKING DOWN SO WHEN HE LOOKED UP TO SAY MORE HE PANICKED SHUWHDIWHD
kuroo : OH MY GOD YN WHY ARE YOU CRYING ??????
yn : well.. i just got rejected by you, i knew you’d caught on my feelings eventually.
kuroo : i wasn’t rejecting y- WAIT DID YOU SAY FEELINGS ??? you have feelings for me TOO ?” 🙀
yn : TOO ???? YOU LIKE ME ??? 🤯
yaku on the corner watching the whole thing unfold with the whole nekoma team : wow, they really are perfect for each other.
kenma and tora : 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
kuroo : i was about to say i don’t want to go on study dates with you anymore because i want to go on a real date.....
yn : oh.....
kuroo : so ???
yn : of course i’d love too !! but first.. you need to go practice.. they’re waiting for you 👉🏼
nekoma team : 😄🍿
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING GO BACK TO PRACTICE NOW!!!!!” - very flustered kuroo
yn : uhh you need to go practice with them too 😶
kuroo : oh right !
kuroo suddenly kisses you on the forehead before he scoots off to the team leaving a very flustered you standing there like : 😳🧍🏻♀️
during the practice, the team didn’t miss a chance to tease him about what had happened 😅
poor guy, he was so caught up in his feelings he forgot that the whole team was watching them...
well atleast he scored a date with his study buddy! ♥︎
