Still as Rain

April 22, 2012 is the exact date that Kuroo Tetsurou's life is changed at school. He is walking up the stairs with his eyes looking down at a textbook, doing last minute cramming for their chemistry test next period. At the exact moment that Kuroo turns the stairwell to go up, Kozume Kenma is going down the same turn, but with his nose pressed to a Nintendo DS instead of a textbook. All in one fleeting instant, Kenma trips over his own feet, right into the arms of Kuroo and as they fall and tumble down, Kenma's lips land smack dab right on Kuroo's. Kuroo would have just brushed it off as an accident but it almost felt... like a kiss, not just two mouths brushing by accident or bumping together in a wild crash. It felt soft and pillowy; it felt safe. It felt like coming home after a long day.

Their lips part and they stare at each other for a quick second that feel like the spaces between eternity for Kuroo, and Kenma just mumbles a quick apology before scrambling off Kuroo and darting away with the speed of a spooked deer. Kuroo is left speechless, still lying on the floor like a dumb animal.

Kuroo becomes obsessed with finding this soft cat of a boy after their encounter. He isn't in any of the third year classes so he continues his search in the second year classrooms. Finally, in the second to last classroom down the hall, he finds his mysterious prince who is handsome at exactly all the right angles. Unable to contain his visceral reaction, Kuroo exclaims in glee at the door of the classroom and everyone stops to stare at this towering third year pointing at the social nobody they consider Kozume Kenma to be. Kenma blushes bright red as everyone turns their gaze from Kuroo to him. He raises his hands defensively and says, "Ah, if it's about before I'm really sorry about that, I totally wasn't paying attention - " and before he can finish his apology, Kuroo has dragged him by the wrist outside. They head to the rooftop and Kenma asks bewilderedly point blank, "Are you going to beat me up? Sorry, I didn't mean to kiss you."

"What, no, why would I do that?"

"Well why else would you hunt me down and drag me to the rooftop? You gonna push me over the edge?"

And at this Kuroo realizes just how awkward the situation has become. He doesn't have an answer for this mysterious boy and there was no way he could just ask out this random stranger even if they already technically kissed! He doesn't even know the second year's name for crying out loud!

"What's your name?"

"Kenma, Kozume Kenma."

"So Kenma, you're a second year, huh?"

"Well, yeah, that's why I was sitting in class 2-C."

"Right, right. You must really like video games if you weren't even paying attention to where you were going."

"Right, like I said, sorry about that. Is there a reason you brought me out here to interrogate me?"

"Well... what are you doing this Saturday?"

"Nothing."

"Great! How about coming with me to McDonald's?"

"You don't understand, I'm busy doing nothing. See ya."

And with that, Kozume Kenma has exited stage left and right back into his classroom.

After doing extensive research (read: stalking), Kuroo finds out that he has a mutual friend with Kenma: Yamemoto Taketora.

"Hey Tora, usually I wouldn't ask you for romantic advice cause you suck with girls but this time it's different. It's a boy."

"What is this, a gender reveal party? Also, did you really have to say it like that? I don't suck with girls, I just have shitty luck, okay?"