𝗜 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 [ Kuroo Tetsurou ]

♡ | 20

Kuroo... Hubby...?

The question hung in the air between them, the weight of it more suffocating than (Y/n) had anticipated. Her breath caught in her throat as she waited for a response, but there was nothing—just silence.

Kuroo, frozen in place, stared at her with wide, confused eyes. It wasn't the response she expected, and perhaps that's what scared her the most. But before he could speak, (Y/n) quickly broke the fragile moment.

"No, I'm sorry, please ignore the question," she stammered, the words tumbling out of her mouth in a rush. She pulled away from him, her heart pounding in her chest as if it wanted to escape. Her legs carried her forward before she could even stop herself, her mind a whirlwind of emotions she couldn't quite process.

As she ran, (Y/n) accidentally bumped into someone, jolting her back into reality. She quickly apologized, not bothering to look up.

"(Y/n)?" The familiar voice froze her in place. Tsukki. She didn't even have the strength to hide her tears this time.

"Tsukki..." she whispered, her voice trembling. Before she knew it, he had wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace, offering her the comfort she so desperately needed.

"Do you want to talk?" he asked quietly, his voice almost a gentle command as he led her to an empty classroom, away from the others.

Once inside, Tsukki sat her down and wiped the tears from her face with his large, calloused thumb, a small act of kindness that made her heart ache even more.

"Now, tell me what happened," he urged softly, his voice calm but insistent.

She took a shaky breath. "Tsukki... Do you think it's him?" Her eyes flickered with uncertainty as she looked at him, hoping for some kind of clarity.

Tsukki didn't answer right away. Instead, he glanced at the old picture she had pulled from her pocket—the one she always carried with her. The picture of her childhood friend, of Hubby. The one she had hoped to find for so long.

He studied the image for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I think this guy looks like him."

The words hit (Y/n) like a heavy weight. A part of her had known, but hearing Tsukki say it out loud made it all feel so real. The uncertainty, the confusion—it all came crashing down.

"I asked him if he was Hubby," she continued, her voice faltering. "But I cut him off before he could answer. I ran away. I'm such a coward."

"(Y/n)," Tsukki said firmly, his tone sharp yet caring. "Stop. You're not a coward."

She looked up at him, surprised by the intensity in his voice.

"You're not a coward," Tsukki repeated, his voice softening as he gently touched her cheek. "Remember when you first joined us? You brought so much life to the team, and you helped everyone learn new things. You've never been a coward. You're strong, and you don't even realize it."

Tears welled up again, but this time, she allowed herself to feel them. Tsukki was right. She wasn't alone anymore. She had people who cared about her, people who had been there for her since day one.

Tsukki sighed and patted her head lightly, a rare sign of affection from him. "Now, smile. You've got this. We're all here for you."

(Y/n) tried, forcing a small smile. It was weak, but it was something. Tsukki didn't notice the difference, too focused on comforting her, and it was just what she needed.

"Come on, let's get you some rest. You've had a long day," Tsukki said, standing up and offering his hand. She nodded and accepted it, allowing him to escort her out of the classroom.

As they stepped into the hallway, they almost walked straight into Kuroo. He had been standing there, staring at them both, his eyes locked on (Y/n) with a mixture of concern and frustration.

"(Y/n), can we talk?" Kuroo asked, his voice low and tentative.

Tsukki's expression darkened, the protective side of him flaring up immediately. "Sorry, but (Y/n) can't right now. She's tired."

"But—" Kuroo began to protest, but Tsukki cut him off.

"(Y/n) will talk to you tomorrow. She needs some rest," Tsukki said with finality, his tone not leaving room for argument.

Kuroo looked between them, his eyes lingering on (Y/n). "If you're sad, you know you can always talk to me, right?" he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

(Y/n) nodded slowly, her heart feeling heavier with every word. "Thank you, Tsukki," she said quietly, offering him a small, bittersweet smile as he opened the door to her room for her.

"Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow," Tsukki said, his voice warm despite the tense situation.

As she entered the room, she couldn't help but glance back at Kuroo. His expression was unreadable, his shoulders slumped in a way that made her heart ache even more. But she didn't say anything. She couldn't.

"Goodnight," Tsukki said, giving her a final smile before leaving. (Y/n) waved weakly at him, her thoughts still clouded by the confusion surrounding Kuroo and her feelings.

Kuroo stood alone in the hallway after they passed him, his breath coming out in shaky sighs. He had tried to hold it together, but seeing her like this, avoiding him, it hurt in a way he hadn't expected. His heart was heavy, the weight of everything pressing down on him until he could no longer hold it back.

He leaned against the wall, his body trembling as his thoughts raced. "Why does it hurt so much?" he whispered to himself, wiping at his eyes in frustration.

"Pumpkin..." The nickname escaped his lips in a quiet, broken murmur, a name he had used for her for years. But now, it felt wrong. He wasn't sure if she even wanted to hear it anymore.

Suddenly, he felt a presence next to him. He turned to see Kenma, standing quietly by his side, his expression unreadable as always.

"You're in a bad place right now, huh?" Kenma asked, his voice soft but cutting through the silence like a knife.

Kuroo nodded slowly, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. "I don't know what to do anymore, Kenma. She's pulling away from me, and I don't know why. What if she doesn't feel the same?"

Kenma stared at him for a long moment before speaking again. "Maybe you should talk to her. Don't give up just because things are messy."

Kuroo's eyes flickered with doubt, but he nodded, grateful for the advice. "Thanks, Kenma." He wiped his eyes again, taking a deep breath. "I'll talk to her tomorrow. I just hope it's not too late."

Kenma gave a small nod. "Just don't make it worse by waiting too long."

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