The Galaxy is Endless (I thought we were, too)

Chapter 9

"Are you sure you want me to drive?" Kenma asked, holding up the keys to Kuroo's car, other hand on his hip. Kenma driving was a rarity, he hadn't even bothered to buy a car at any point, opting to catch a train wherever he needed to go, or ask Kuroo to drive him if he could. Kuroo enjoyed driving, or at least, always claimed to. That was what made the occurrence of Kuroo asking Kenma to drive so strange.

Kuroo opened the door of the passenger side. "Since it is my birthday, I make the rules. You're driving." He stuck out his tongue at Kenma in a mature conclusion, and got into the car, placing their picnic basket onto his lap, closing the door before Kenma had a chance to question the erratic behaviour.

Shaking his head, Kenma got into the driver's seat, and turned on the ignition. "Don't make fun of my driving." Sure, Kenma wasn't Japan's greatest driver, but Kenma was sure that he wasn't as bad as Kuroo often exaggerated. It just wasn't as easy as it was in video games.

"As long as you don't drive like you're trying to win Mario Kart, my lips are sealed." He then began to change the radio station at least fifteen times before Kenma even managed to get out of their apartment building's garage.

"You haven't told me where we're going," Kenma asked once they got to the first intersection. "Which way am I going?"

"Ken, you're supposed to ask that before you start the car," Kuroo said in a mocking tone.

Kenma shot him a retaliating glare. "Don't patronise me."

"Aww, you trusted me to just get in the car, that's so cute."

"Does your car come with an ejector seat button? Because I'm tempted to launch myself at this point."

Before Kuroo had a chance to answer, the traffic light turned green. "Left! Go left."

Kenma huffed, turning the wheel, and sending a short prayer that he wasn't about to get booked for not using his indicators. "And then where?"

"You know where Mizumoto Park is? Go there."

"Okay," Kenma said, now wholly focused on the road. They drove in silence for a while, the only sound from the radio that Kuroo kept insistently changing the stations of.

Once they had reached the main stretch of road, Kenma finally tore his eyes away from the windshield, sparing a quick glance in Kuroo's direction. He was quiet, lips pursed together and eyes looking out the window as though he were contemplating the meaning of life itself. The dark circles under his eyes had darkened, a sign of the late nights he'd been pulling lately accompanied by the tossing and turning once he finally did get to bed, which only ever subsided when Kenma pinned him down by laying on him. Kenma bit his lip in concern. He took one hand off of the wheel to instead reach over and grab Kuroo's hand, running circles over his palm with his thumb. "What're you thinking about?"

That snapped Kuroo out of his thoughts, he gave Kenma's hand a squeeze. "Nothing much. Just how lucky I am to have a soulmate like you."

Kenma rolled his eyes. He was almost certain that was a lie, but he didn't want to press it, not today. They were supposed to be celebrating Kuroo's birthday. If Kuroo wanted to tell him what was really on his mind, he would.

"You're alright too, I guess."

"How could you say something like that on my birthday ?" Kuroo lifted one hand to his forehead. "I don't think I can go on like this."

"It must be so tiring being that dramatic every single day," Kenma deadpanned.

"It's more tiring having a soulmate who doesn't love me as much as I love them."