Ill-Fated Calf-Love

Kuroo

The beer tasted awful. He didn't know why he had let his teammates talk him into this post-finals party, but some part of him hoped that if he went they would finally start to accept him. An arm slung around his neck and he turned his head to glance at Nobuyuki Kai, Nekoma's football captain, quarterback, and Kuroo's biggest tormentor.

"Relax, Kuroo. It's a shame that Akaashi isn't here. Didn't you invite him?"

"I did, but Akaashi isn't a fan of parties like this." It was a lie. He knew Akaashi wouldn't come if it meant being around the upperclassmen, so Kuroo only told him that he was going.

"Or maybe, he just didn't want to come with you," chimed Fukunaga Shohei, stepping up next to Nobuyuki. They were both second years, the only third year on Nekoma's team not caring for the captain position. Kuroo's hand tightened on the can and he took another drink, sure that he would need it to get through this. He had to be careful. He had another long year to put up with these two.

Nobuyuki laughed. "I told you to relax, didn't I? We're all friends here. You've been pretty down lately. Don't think I didn't notice it affect your performance in our last game. Why not tell your captain what's wrong?"

He took a moment to look Nobuyuki over. Would it hurt to tell him if he was only concerned with Kuroo's game performance? He decided it wouldn't.

"Akaashi's moving, so he'll be going to Fukurodani next year." It was a sore subject for the entire team. Their final game of the year had been against Fukurodani and it had been evenly matched through almost all of it. Nekoma won, though only just. They'd have done better if it hadn't been for Fukurodani's star freshman player, an obnoxiously loud linebacker by the name of Bokuto Koutarou. They were rivals, but Kuroo could respect the drive he brought to the team and his love for the sport.

Kuroo lifted his beer for another drink, surprised to find it empty. Fukunaga handed him another and he cracked it open.

Nobuyuki whistled. "No wonder you're worried. I would be too." He let his arm fall from around Kuroo, moving to face him directly.

"You would?"

"Oh, for sure. Someone as pretty as Akaashi going to another school where you'll have no control over who he'll meet, who he'll see. No control over who wants him. It'd be hard enough for you at Nekoma, but Fukurodani is totally different. Here, people only know he's yours because you whine about it when anyone goes after him. People still have a hard time believing it here, but Fukurodani..." He clicked his tongue, holding up one hand in an off-handed shrug.

"What?"

"Well, you won't be there to whine when anyone gets too close or makes a move on him. Anyone could pursue him there, even that freshman linebacker you glared at the entire game. If you really want people to know he's yours when you're not around, you have to actually claim him."

Kuroo wasn't sure he followed, the buzz in his head making it hard to focus. "I don't know what you mean?"

"Have you done it?"

"It?"

"Have sex. Surely you know what that is. You don't strike me as that dumb. No way you could be if you're going to take over as captain when I graduate."

"You really think I'll take the captain position after you?"

"I do. So have you had sex?"

"No. Akaashi's still in middle school and-"

"So what? You've been together how long?"

"Almost two and a half years."

"That's a long time to be together without sex. All you ever do is hold hands."

"We kiss, but Akaashi doesn't like public displays."

"Kuroo, that's the great thing about sex! It's very private. Just the two of you. It's also a great way to stake your claim on him for others to see. Haven't you ever given him a hickey?"

"Just once," Kuroo said, remembering the previous fall. They'd been making out on Kuroo's couch and he'd been curious after seeing a few of the marks on the necks of the cheerleaders. The purplish bruise had been pretty against Akaashi's pale skine. Akaashi had been angry about it, wearing a turtleneck until it faded despite the heat and yelling at Kuroo to never do it again.

"Hickeys are an easy way to stake your claim without being there. Without them, you never know who will come by and snatch up someone as pretty as Akaashi. I would have done so already if it wasn't for your whining."

"I don't whine."

"Not anymore and that's thanks to me. I conditioned you out of that quickly. I'm only trying to help you, Kuroo, because I see your potential. Don't you think Akaashi wants you to properly claim him?"

"I'm not sure." There was a full beer in his hand again and he drank it though he didn't know how it had gotten there.

"He does. I'll make this choice easy for you; you either start claiming him and mark him as yours, or I will. After all, I've been dying to know just how amazing his pretty mouth would feel around my-"

Kuroo felt the bones crush before he heard them, his fist connecting with Nobuyuki's nose before his mind could process what was happening. Nobuyuki lost his balance, falling backwar, blood gushing from his broken nose. Kuroo tried to shake the pain from his knuckles, stopping when the motion sent it shooting down his arm. Fukunaga pulled Nobuyuki to his feet.

"About time you grew a pair," Nobuyuki started, wincing at the pain talking caused. "Keep that up. You have until the end of Summer. If you haven't claimed him when school starts back again, I will take him from you."

Fukunaga smiled. "Good job, Kuroo. You need some work on that right hook. Let's get you both to the hopsital."

Not feeling like he had much of a choice, he followed the two out to Fukunaga's car, his buzz dimming as he thought about what would come after this.