Parlay || Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader

Chapter 2: Bet

'What the hell is he talking about?' Kenma thought. (Y/N)'s face was contorted into a bewildered expression mirroring his own.

"Kenma!" she exclaimed, "Did you tell Kuroo-san we were dating for some reason?"

"No. Kuroo just jumps to conclusions sometimes," the boy said dismissively. Making his way towards the kitchen, he poured some dish soap into the basin and ran the hot water. His roommate trailed after him with a thoughtful expression. The chair made a quiet scraping sound as she plopped herself down into it. When Kenma glanced over, her chin was propped up on her hands. Her brow was furrowed so deep, Kenma worried she'd be stuck like that forever. She was overthinking again, but Kenma had been friends with this girl for quite some time. He knew it was better that he let her mental rambling run its course. Finally, she straightened up and stared at Kenma pointedly.

"Do we act coupley?" she asked him.

Kenma's groaned, knowing she was firmly locked onto this trivial topic. Though, he did take a second to ask himself the same thing. (Y/N) was a pretty touchy person, and he surely wouldn't like it if anyone else called him "Ken-Ken", but with her he couldn't bring himself to mind very much. He knows he puts a lot more effort into making her happy than he would for normal people. Then he supposed to Kuroo, the hopeless romantic, his softness on his roommate could seem more romantic than platonic.

'But he doesn't have to make wild assumptions like that.

"I guess I'm just nice to you," he replied simply. Even without looking, he could feel her tilt her head in confusion.

"And that's enough to make him think we're a couple?" she asked, incredulous.

Kenma shrugged noncommittally. Used to his reticence, she continued.

"I guess we seem kinda domestic, but we don't do anything genuinely romantic," she reasoned.

"Kuroo's already decided we're dating. If we don't say anything, he'd never notice," he deadpanned. (Y/N) barked a laugh. Shaking her head, she got up and made her way over to Kenma's side to dry the dishes with a nearby rag.

"Give your friend some credit, Kenma! No one's that oblivious," she defended the taller man, to which Kenma snorted.

"You are," he teased. (Y/N) squawked in offense.

"What? No way, I'm not oblivious!" she vehemently insisted. Kenma's eyebrows raised ever so slightly. He turned the sink off and turned to her.

"Remember when you burned instant ramen because you forgot it needed water?" he 'asked.' They both knew the other remembered that whole debacle well. Vividly, even. She grimaced at the memory. The girl set down the bowl she was drying - though not as gently as Kenma would have liked - and brandished her wet rag at him menacingly.

"Look, I didn't 'forget,'" she made quotes in the air, "that it needed water. I'm perfectly aware how to cook ramen, I just thought I had already added water to it."

"And how does that prove your point?"

"...'Kay, fine, but that's, like, basic, everyday stuff! I'd totally notice something like this if I were in Kuroo-san's spot!" she concluded, to which Kenma shook his head again.

"No, you're both about equally oblivious. If he doesn't get it, then neither would you."

"Then, he'll get it very soon!"

"Not likely."

Huffing, the girl leaned all her weight against the sink and her brow furrowed once more. Her 'thinking face,' as Kenma called it. He sighed and realized she'd soon have another questionable idea of hers. While she was off in her own world, he sat on the floor in front of his laptop. As he scrolled through his Scheam account looking for something to play, he vaguely registered her rapid footsteps. By the time he'd finally mustered the courage to take a crack at Five Nights again, (Y/N) had run up to him.

"Let's make a bet then!" she challenged. He groaned internally and she took his silence as an invitation to continue, "If Kuroo-san and I are both the same level of obliviousness, then he's not oblivious at all! I bet that he'll eventually figure out we're not actually a couple. If I win, you... uhm... Oh! You go on Tuwuitch--"

"No."

"--in front of all your subscribers and say, ' (Y/N), my bestest friend and most delightful roommate, is super smart and definitely not oblivious,'" her lips stretched into a self-satisfied smile.

'So childish,' Kenma thought. He took a deep breath before shooting back, "Oblivious isn't even--"

"I'm not oblivious, though!" she cried.

"Whatever. Alright, I take the bet. But you don't have anything I would want." He had faith in

Kuroo's spaciness.

She thought for a second, then snapped her fingers in realization, "I can just owe you a wish!

As long as it's something I can actually do, I'll do whatever you ask of me! ...why are you looking at

me like that?"

Kenma was staring at her silently. Suddenly, she smacked his shoulder in outrage.

"Get your mind out of the gutter! I won't do that," she gasped.

'I wouldn't want it,' he said internally. He wordlessly stuck his hand out for her to shake. They sealed their deal and the subject dropped for a few rounds of Five Nights.

Around 12:20 am, Kenma shut off his computer. He dragged himself to a standing position and cracked his back. The movements woke up his roommate. She had fallen asleep against the couch beside him.

"Mm, goodnight," she rasped and spread out on the floor. Despite his own grogginess, her friend nudged her with his foot. On the edges of her consciousness, she heard him saying something about back problems and catching colds.

"--and you'll never stop complaining about it," Kenma finished. For the sake of her sweet friend, she dragged herself up as well, whining all the while. They sleepily walked down the hall together.

"Goodnight."

"Mm."

They went to sleep that night unaware of just how out-of-hand their seemingly harmless bet would become.

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(A/N): Hey everyone! Thanks for reading another chapter of Parlay, and yes, things are going to get spicy very quickly (evil smirk). I'm also working on the cover, which will be updated soon (hopefully!). See you soon!

- Admin Kiwi-Chan

(A/N): Not sexy spicy! More like juicy. Yeah, neither of us know enough about the horizontal tango to write about it, so in this fic, it'll be implied, if mentioned at all lol. Thanks for reading, and you can expect the next chapter real soon. Be sure to tell us what you think!

- Admin Mango-Chan