Ill-Fated Calf-Love

Kuroo

Despite football not starting until the second week of school, Nobuyuki sought Kuroo out immediately the first day. He knew the question before it was asked, but it still threw him off to answer.

Yes, he and Akaashi had sex.

He'd thought Nobuyuki would be mad, but instead he just looked... proud? He drug Kuroo along to his friend group and with a single nod from the captain, they greeted him as though he belonged and they hadn't made his life hell the previous year. He tried to stay guarded against them, but their easy conversations roped him in. They were friendly when they included him and when they asked of Akaashi, it wasn't the perverted, invasive questions they asked before. These were normal questions friends would ask about each others relationships. Kuroo had been accepted. He was part of their group.

Gossip spread fast around Nekoma. No one messed with the football captain's group, and the other upperclassmen who had bullied Kuroo before now regarded him with respect. He had status, power, and it ran through his veins like an electric current. Because Yaku was Kuroo's friend and a member of the team as well, he was included on the outskirts of the groups, but not Nobuyuki's inner circle. Yaku only had one answer when Kuroo asked if it bothered him. "It's better than getting bullied and it gets Akaashi off their radar."

Kuroo was picking Akaashi up after school. He still felt a twinge of pain when he saw the beat up old pickup that had been his dad's. Somehow, the damage of the accident hadn't been too bad on the truck and though Kuroo's mom had offered to buy him a new car instead, Kuroo wanted to cling to any piece of his dad he could. Though it had been months, the lingering smell of cigarette smoke still filled the cab, a coping habit his dad had picked up after the divorce. He sat in the cab for a moment, breathing in the foul smell and remembering how his dad had tried to hide the habit from him, settling for a "don't tell your mother" when Kuroo found out. Kuroo knew there was still half a pack in the glove box. He'd never smoke them himself, but he couldn't bring himself to throw them away either.

Pulling up to Fukurodani felt like pulling up to a prison. Kuroo instantly understood why Akaashi had hated it. Nekoma's buildings were all single story red brick with black cat paws decorating the walls and white trim. Fukurodani had tall, white buildings at least three stories high with black trims and an owl painted on the front building. A brick wall fenced in the school and Kuroo found Akaashi sitting on a bench a few feet from the gated entrance. Kuroo pulled up along the curb to see Akaashi wasn't alone.

Yukie cut off her conversation with a few of the football players and cheerleaders when Akaashi started for Kuroo's truck. At first she was confused, then she saw Kuroo in the drivers seat, put on a beaming smile and rushed over. He rolled the window down as she came around to the drivers side and reached through to hug him.

"It's been so long!"

"You sure you should be hugging a player from your school's rival team?" There was no malice in the question as he returned her embrace.

"You sure you should be dating someone who goes to your rival school," she quipped back, smile never leaving her face.

Kuroo's eyes raked over the players she'd been talking to, searching for one. They'd continued their conversation wiht little more than a glance his way when Yukie had left. The absence of the player relaxed the tension in Kuroo's shoulders. He turned back to her.

"Hey, do me a favor and keep Bokuto Koutarou away from Akaashi. I don't trust him."

Her smile faltered, eyes flicking to Akaashi before she replaced her grin and chirped out a quick, "sure, no problem!" Only a moment later she bid them goodbye and returned to her group.

"What was that about," Akaashi asked when they pulled out of the parking lot.

"I don't trust him, Akaashi. It's better if you just stay away from him."

"Why? You could have just told me. You didn't have to bring her into it." When Kuroo remained silent, he added, "is this something Nobuyuki put you up to?"

"He knows what he's talking about. I trust him on this."

"He's a jerk, Kuroo. He bullied you all last year."

"Things are different now."

"You broke your hand on his nose! How could you listen to anything he has to say? How-"

"He's my teammate and my friend. I don't want to argue about this Akaashi. I don't want to start the year off with more stress than I have to." The words hung in the air between them. Finally, Akaashi mumbled and apology, sinking back into his seat. "Please, just stay away from him."

"I will. He's too loud to be around anyway."

"Thank you," Kuroo breathed in relief, the death grip on his steering wheel finally relaxing.