The Reckless & The Brave Book 1: Hold Me Tight Or Don't [Kurotsuki]

Chapter 17

Kei wakes with a start to the sound of Kuroo's voice calling out for him. He's been sleeping on the couch the past few nights in order to keep from bumping any of Kuroo's injuries while they slept. Kei rolls off the couch and makes his way to the bedroom, slipping his glasses on as he goes. Kuroo is still asleep, just as Kei had expected him to be. The bathroom light is on and the door cracked open to keep the darkness from the room. He can see Kuroo's body trembling. Kei goes into the room and sits on the edge of the bed.

"Tetsurou," He cards his fingers through messy black hair. He has to be gentle, wake Kuroo slowly in order to keep him from lashing out. He hadn't been careful the first night and had ended up pinned to the bed with Kuroo's forearm on his throat. Kuroo had been left in pain and feeling guilty. Kei keeps stroking Kuroo's hair. "It's alright Tetsu, you're safe, you're home with me."

"Kei?" Kuroo's eyes open and the panic is palpable on his face. Kei cups his cheek and presses a kiss to his forehead.

"You're safe. Deep breaths alright?" Kei instructs him. Kuroo grasps his arm and takes slow even breaths. "That's it. It was just a nightmare. You're home with me, we're both safe."

"I hurt you?"

"No, of course not. I was on the couch, remember?"

"You were on the couch the other time too."

"I woke you too quickly last time. I know what to expect now," Kei lays down beside him and pulls Kuroo's head onto his chest. "I've got you, get some more sleep okay?"

"Sorry Moonshine," Kuroo wraps his arm around Kei's waist and presses his face into the fabric of his shirt.

"Stop apologizing already, I've had the nightmares too," he goes back to stroking Kuroo's hair. "Remember when I called you while I was gone a while back?"

"When you forgot I was on the phone and you had a conversation about your mission?"

"Oh, you did hear that then?"

"I did," Kuroo.

"You knew what I was doing?"

"Atsumu's voice is kinda easy to recognize. I saw your tattoo as well," Kuroo slips a hand up the back of Kei's shirt.

"I had a nightmare that night, I've had it a few times since but that was the first night. I woke up with Atsumu and Omi holding me down and covering my mouth. I've been cautious about sleeping on missions since."

"What was the nightmare about?"

"I had this mission a while back where we had to go to some fancy party. One of my teammates got shot, that was the mission where I got the shoulder bruise."

"Not a rubber bullet then?"

"Regular bullet, bulletproof tux," Kei rests his head on top of Kuroo's and closes his eyes.

"The friend that got mugged?"

"Freckles, got injured on the mission. I saw them shoot him," He sighs.

"So your nightmares are about him being shot?"

"No... I dream about you being shot," Kei admits. Kuroo lifts himself up on his elbows and meets Kei's gaze.

"I'm not going anywhere," He promises.

"Neither of us can promise that," Kei sighs and pulls Kuroo back down onto his chest. "We can't predict what will happen on missions. If we get hurt or killed or captured."

"If you get captured then I'll come rescue you. If you get hurt I'll be there when you wake up in the hospital. If you get killed... I will burn down every single bastard responsible," There's a fierce look in Kuroo's eyes, and Kei wishes that he'd hurry up and heal already.