Ill-Fated Calf-Love

Kuroo

It just didn't make sense. School had ended only twenty minutes prior, but Akaashi had already sanitized the equipment used that day, swept the entire floor, and was just finishing mopping up the gym. If he'd already gotten his work from his other classes, Kuroo would accuse him of witchcraft.

"I've juts got to put the mop away and we can go," he called, disappearing into the supply closet.

"How," Kuroo asked when Akaashi made it over to him. "How did you get everything done so fast?"

"I didn't want you guys to have to wait for me, so I picked up my work during sixth hour.  Sixth hour gym had to run the track because they kept talking so I got to start cleaning early."

"We don't mind waiting for you. You always wait for us to finish practice."

"I needed to talk to the teachers anyway. I want to try going back to class again. I don't know if it will last, but I want to try. I don't know if it will last, but I start tomorrow."

"Why now?"

"I'm curious if classes will feel different when I actually have friends there."

Kuroo's heart broke for the other boy as he realized what the words meant. "You've never had friends before? At all? Not even one?"

Akaashi shook his head. "Not really. I wasn't bullied or anything. I just preferred reading over playing so other kids didn't really talk to me unless they had to."

Kuroo didn't know what to say, instead scanning the park for their friends. Unsurprisingly, they were on the soccer field, spying them just in time to watch Iwaizumi throw the football in a perfect spiral. Oikawa, too busy taking pictures to pay attention, received the throw with his face. Next to him, Akaashi burst into laughter, catching his breath in little snorts that he attempted to muffle with the back of his hand.

"You snort? It's cute."

Akaashi cleared his throat, cheeks flaming red as he got his laughter under control. "It's, um, it's embarrassing."

"As embarrassing as a football to the face?"

"No, I think that's worse. Come on. They're waiting for us."

Kuroo watched, smiling as Akaashi jogged over to their friends. His heart felt light as Akaashi joined Yaku in assuring Oikawa that his nose wasn't broken and he was indeed still pretty, before chastising Iwaizumi for making them have to listen to the brunette whine. Kuroo wondered what other little quirks Akaashi had and how long it would take to discover them.