Akaashi's 18th (and the events that followed...)

33. Affection is Evil

Kuroo shyly entered his apartment, after scrambling off the sofa and running back downstairs. "I didn't mean it, Kenma, I promise."

There was no reply.

"Kenma?" Kuroo briefly searched his apartment, but Kenma was nowhere to be found.

Maybe he left you.

Kuroo grunted in frustration, knocking once on the adjacent apartment before opening the door. The sight of it made him gape.

Contrary to his expectations, the entire space was immaculate. In one corner - instead of a futon and TV - a desk had been set up, with a screen, and multiple consoles lining the shelf beside it, along with microphones and other filming equipment. Aside from the large screen on the desk and a steaming mug of coffee with a coaster underneath, the entire area was spotless. Even the dozens of cables - which Kuroo struggled to organise in his apartment, despite him only owning a few gadgets - were neatly lined up, split into groups by cable organisers either side of the desk, and fell in neat rows where they were tucked into holes in the back of the desk and hidden out of sight.

Kuroo glanced into Kenma's bedroom. It was... a little less tidy. He smiled to himself. Kenma always succumbed to the easy option in the end, proven by the piles of dirty laundry dotted around the floor. Clearly, workplace pride overtook housework pride.

Kuroo walked back out of the bedroom, peering out of the kitchen window. Perhaps he's headed out for the night?

"Kuroo?" He jumped.

"Kenma?" The blond man stood in the open doorway, fringe hanging over his eyes so that Kuroo was unable to decipher his expression.

"I just went to get some cereal for tomorrow 'cause you don't have any, then you weren't even in your apartment," Kenma stared at him accusingly.

"Gomen - I thought you were in here because you weren't in my room when I looked."

"I put the cereal back in your cupboard. Anyway, I have to start work now - I have a video upload due in twenty hours and I haven't even begun the filming yet."

"Can I stay and watch?"

Kenma looked him up and down for a brief moment. "Sure," he said, turning back to his desk. "I think there are drinks in the fridge if you want some."

Kuroo loped over to the fridge, and his second surprise was even greater. The fridge was stocked with ready-meals, instant meals, teas, tinned coffees - even Pocari Sweat. A health drink? Kenma hated Pocari. And, if he has this much food, why didn't he eat at home last night? Perhaps Bokuto was right, and there's another reason he came over to stay with me.

"Can I have the Pocari?" was all he asked.

Kenma 'mhmmed' in assent, and Kuroo took the drink back to the desk, pulling up another chair so he could sit behind Kenma whilst he was filming.

"Why don't I ever see you filming?"

"I don't like people watching me when I talk," Kenma replied, turning on a hundred different switches at the wall and plugging in numerous cables that Kuroo didn't even recognise, before swivelling around on his chair to face Kuroo.

"Kenma, you're literally posting it to the entire world, what d'you mean you don't like people watching you?"

"Yeah, I know it's public. It's different though, 'cause the only thing people see is my gameplay, not my face."

"I guess."

"It's not really that cool, either." Kenma bowed his head slightly, allowing his hair to take over his face.