The Man Who Ran Off With The Moon - [ Tsukkiyama Art Thief AU! ]

Kuroo's Idea

When Kuroo was in his second year of college, a sunny American university that gave him a generous sports scholarship, he accidentally discovered a more cost effective way to build solar panels.

This accident, which would lead to a surprising fortune after Kuroo patented and sold the idea, had occurred when he was trying to get his microwave to work for instant noodles, though not many knew this element of the story.

Kenma, his highschool sweetheart turned husband (and Kuroo loved to say it. Kenma, MY husband. MY HUSBAND, Kenma. Have you met MY-) would periodically break things around their house on purpose so that Kuroo might have another brilliant idea.
The accidental engineer's true passion, though, was in chemistry, and he now spent his days comfortably pursuing his doctorate in that subject.

Kuroo had been delighted when his old friend Tsukishima moved to Tokyo, with a girl, surprisingly.
He didn't think Tsukishima was hopeless in the romance department, but he could be quite oblivious. When they had first met, the blond hadn't realized that both Kuroo and Kuroo's other closest friend, Bokuto, had been (somewhat jokingly) hitting on him.
Tsukishima had retained the attractive mystery from his youth and his eyes glinted with uniquely sharp attention.
He had always been desirable.

But a girl...

That part was surprising.

It pained him to have watched the proud man fall into such a shitty place, slumped outside of crap apartment, wearing a Zoo Keeper's uniform, smelling like raw meat and... strawberries? Ek. He helped him up.

"Why are you here?", Tsukishima asked, almost rudely.
Kuroo didn't mind.
Everything Tsukishima said was almost or intentionally rude.

"We were supposed to do dinner tonight.", Kuroo huffed, flicking his bangs out of his face.

The slightest pink tinge revealed Tsukishima's embarrassment. He had completely forgotten and he wasn't really in the position to be going out tonight.
Kuroo rolled his eyes.

"Just get out of the shorts. That ramen place down the street is supposed to be good."

The restaurant in question had actually received multiple health code violations, but it was cheap, and Kuroo knew Tsukishima wouldn't let him pay for his dinner. The blond nodded wordlessly and slipped inside his apartment. He emerged briefly after in jeans and a light blue sweater.

The color was soft on him, pretty even.

The two young men walked down the street, the great beasts of construction finally settling for the night.
The pair didn't speak much, they didn't need to. Knowing an individual for years smooths out the awkwardness from silence.

Instead, Tsukishima listened to the sounds of his neighborhood.

Tokyo knew nothing of Miyagi. There was a constant tide, the ebb and flow of the radio, the television, the cars, the man and woman that fought loudly with their upstairs window open, the child, the small dog awaiting it's owner's return from the office.
It never stopped, no matter the time of night.
Tokyo was not like the hidden orchestra that rang across the countryside. There were no crickets, no sweet layers of silence.

Kuroo, in all his years living there, was numb to it.

For Tsukishima, it was much too loud.

They ordered their food, sitting apart from one another in sticky chairs.
Tsukishima initiated the dance of small talk before Kuroo would try to ask him about his personal life.

"How's Kenma?"

The question would always receive a long answer.

In all of the dreams and ideas Kuroo had ever had, he could not conceive a greater wonder than his own husband.
Everything that was good to him had been Kenma and would forever be Kenma, since the day the pair had laid eyes on each other. It was a love that was simple and pure, a love that could make Tsukishima ache with jealousy. They just made it look so easy.

"He's leaving in two days for another convention for awhile. Some video con thing or whatever. A lot of panels. He's pretending to be all miserable about it, but I know he's excited."

Kuroo beamed with pride. Kenma, along with several other lucrative business investments, had made a career as a popular streamer, popular enough to the point of mild celebrity. People would stop them when they were out  for a photo, and Kuroo would always offer to take it. Kenma would put up a peace sign and a thin lipped smile, posing next to the fan. After, he would grumble about "just wanting some peace and quiet."
It was very cute.

Tsukishima nodded along, not really listening as Kuroo went on and on about how Kenma was hopeless at packing himself for trips.

Finally, the waitress brought their meals- steaming bowls of broth and noodles, nori, sliced pork, scallions. It shook Kuroo from his monologue.

"So, how are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Are ya now?"

"Yes, Kuroo. I'm fine."

"What's up with this?"
Kuroo slid one of the many eviction notices that had been advertised all over Tsukishima's apartment across the table. Tsukishima quickly grabbed it, crumpling the paper into his pocket. "It's not a big deal."

Kuroo furrowed his brow, leaning his head to the side. "Where are you moving to?"

Tsukishima waved his hand vaguely, gesturing off in no particular direction.
Kuroo leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap.
They sat in silence for a long time, not really looking at each other.
Finally, Kuroo fixed Tsukishima with a kind, but intense stare. He cracked his knuckles.

"I know it's awkward and uncomfortable and difficult. I get that. But there's no weakness in asking for help when you need it. Especially if you're asking a friend."

Tsukishima shrunk back from Kuroo's words as if they had a prickly quality. "Look Mr. Money Man, I don't-"

"Come stay in our garage apartment. Seriously. I'll even, like, charge you rent."

Tsukishima didn't say anything. The waitress collected their bills.
Kuroo stammered on.
"Kenma's going to be gone for like a whole month and you know how depressed I get when I don't have anyone to come bother all day."

Tsukishima sighed, feeling the weight of the eviction notice in his pocket.

"How much would rent be?"