Shelter [Kurotsuki]

Chapter 3

Tsukishima stands outside the apartment marked as 5c with one hand grasping the strap of his duffel bag tightly. He's traveled all the way here for this one reason but now that his mind is starting to clear a bit he can feel the doubts creeping in. He didn't call first, he didn't text. He couldn't actually remember the last time he'd even answered any of Kuroo's texts. What if he wasn't wanted here? What if Kuroo wasn't home or if he had some other guest already? What if he was seeing someone?

A cold gust of air blew through his shirt to chill Tsukishima's skin even more and he shook his head as though he could dislodge the nerves somehow. He knocked on the door quickly before he could think about it anymore and then crossed his arms tightly to wait.

"I'm coming!" a voice called through the door and then it opened and Kuroo was standing there in a pair of sweatpants and an unzipped hoodie with no shirt underneath. Tsukishima found that he couldn't speak. Kuroo blinked a few times and then his golden eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and concern.

Tsukishima opened his mouth to try and speak but nothing came out and when his eyes met Kuroo's it was like something inside him broke and everything he'd been trying to push down flooded through him. Coming out, his father's rejection, his mother's tears. The long train ride and the crowds in the streets, the cold biting at his skin. He wanted to speak but what came out instead was a sob. He covered his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut to try and hide his tears.

"Tsukki," Kuroo's voice is full of worry as he steps out of the doorway and wraps his arms around the younger man. "Oh hell, Tsukki you're freezing." Tsukishima clings to him, ducking his head down to hide it against Kuroo's shoulder as he shakes. Kuroo keeps his arms tightly around him as he shuffles them inside and out of the cold. He kicks the door closed with his foot and then steps on the heels of Tsukishima's shoes to help him out of them.

"S... Sorry to bother you," Tsukishima manages to say. His words are muffled by the fabric of Kuroo's hoodie but he still understands. He moved the duffel bag strap off of Tsukishima's shoulder and set it down in the entryway.

"You're not a bother Tsukki. Let's get you warm and then we can talk." Kuroo led Tsukishima further into the house and then down a hall to a bedroom. He pulled the blankets aside and then guided the blonde-haired man to lay down. Tsukishima held tightly to his hoodie, not wanting to be left alone. Kuroo smiled at him, one that was different from his usual grin. He let his thumb rub along Tsukishima's cheek. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get another blanket."

Reluctantly Tsukishima let go. He waited until Kuroo had left the room before grabbing onto one of the pillows and hugging it tight to his chest. He couldn't stop shaking and he didn't know if it was from the cold or his tears and he hated how weak it made him seem. Kuroo would probably think he was annoying. He curled in on himself and pressed his face into the pillow trying to stop his tears.

Kuroo was only gone for a moment and he returned with his arms full of blankets that he dropped onto the bed. He looked Tsukishima over for a moment, making sure that there were no noticeable physical injuries before he laid down beside him and pulled the blankets up over them both. Then he wrapped his arms around Tsukishima and pulled him against his chest.

"I've got you, Tsukki. It's okay." He whispered into the blonde curls. "It's cold as shit out there. What are you doing without a coat?"

"I don't... I forgot it." Tsukishima resumed his grip on Kuroo's hoodie and tried to force all of his emotions back into the bubble they belonged in. He didn't want Kuroo to think he was annoying.

"How long have you been in Tokyo?" Kuroo brings a hand up to card his fingers through Tsukishima's hair. It's a relaxing feeling and Tsukishima can feel some of the tension drain out of him.

"I came from the train station..." he mumbles.

"Did something happen Tsukki? I haven't heard from you in months and then you just show up here. How did you get my address?"

"I t...." Tsukishima tries to swallow around the lump in his throat, "Hinata had said once that you and Kenma were roommates... So I asked him for the address."

"You willingly texted the shorty? Hmm, must have been serious then," Kuroo says with a teasing tone. Tsukishima lets out a little huff of a laugh and closes his eyes.

"He's sent me like thirty texts since then," he complains. Kuroo smiles and takes Tsukishima's glasses off him carefully, he folds them up and reaches over to put them on the nightstand.

"All that texting must have worn you out. I was having a lazy day in bed anyway. Why don't we both take a nap? When we wake up we'll be all toasty warm and we can get something to eat. Maybe watch Jurassic park or something." Tsukishima nods his head a bit. Now that he's here with Kuroo he feels safe and warm and whatever energy he'd used to get himself here has faded. It doesn't take long for him to fall asleep.