The Cat and the Crow

Explanations And Countermeasures

"First, let me apologize, again, for interrupting anything, and for the short notice. I'm really sorry for that. I only just figured out what's going on, and decided to call for backup." Tetsuro started talking once everyone was ready. "Several of you may have already guessed what's up, but I need to get those who don't know on the same page."

"Fair enough," Daichi said, clearly the Karasuno spokesman (for now), since no one else from the team spoke up.

"It's Kenma," he said, sighing and running his hand through his hair. "He's running another one of his experiments."

"I KNEW IT!" Both Bokuto and Yaku suddenly exclaimed. "Dammit, Kuroo, if you even try to defend him this time..." Yaku added vehemently.

He sighed again. "I'm not. Because this time, he's not only using me, but also Kei."

"Me? Why? I don't understand," Kei said, looking as confused as Hinata.

"Wait... what? Experiments?" Hinata asked. Tetsuro knew that Hinata and Kenma had hit it off as friends, so this was going to hit him hard.

"Let me explain, Chibi-chan," he said gently. "I'm sure you're all aware that Kenma and I have been friends since we were kids. Next door neighbors, went to the same school, always in the same classes, and for years, always inseparable. You get the idea. What some of you don't know is that Kenma runs these 'experiments' on people, and by people I mean it was mostly me as his 'test subject.'"

"Oh my god," both Suga and Tadashi said.

"Kenma has always been... less emotional than others, I guess you could say. His emotions run differently than most. The stronger emotions are easier to understand for him, but the softer ones, especially love, seem to escape him. Because he doesn't understand them, he gets curious about how they work, and thus, his experiments. I didn't always catch on, but when I did, I would ask him to stop. He'd lay low for a while, then try again, but sneakier."

"When was the last experiment?" Daichi asked.

"Two years ago. It actually led to our break up," he admitted, looking at Kei as he said it. His love didn't look terribly surprised, so Tetsuro guessed he'd figured out that much already.

"And now he's started another one?" Daichi asked again.

"Right. I haven't been able to work out why."

Yaku had double facepalmed, Kai closed his eyes tight and shook his head slowly. Bokuto looked ready to do murder. Akaashi simply waited, but his eyes agreed with Bokuto.

"You've all, undoubtedly, seen everything he's posted to his social media accounts. He made sure to tag both Kei and myself, so he's cast a large net, but I'm not sure he knows how large it actually is, or that many people know what he's doing. Either way, to answer one of the most pertinent questions: the 'roommates' thing was an actual plan, but after our breakup, it turned into a joke. He knows it won't happen, but he tries to joke about it just to get a reaction."

"What about making it look like you're a couple again?" Kai asked, finally entering the conversation.

"I can only assume he wants to make Kei jealous."

"Any idea why?"

"No."

"Is he jealous?" Tadashi asked, defensively. "I mean, it would all make some kind of sick sense if he were."

"Calm down, Tadashi," Kei said quietly.

"How can you be so calm, Tsuki? He's using you..."

"Clearly. But I don't know Kenma that much at all. Neither do you, or Daichi, or even Suga. The exception among us being Hinata."