Kuroo Tetsuro

It's Valentine's Day. Kuroo is at his desk, immersed in research data, when his phone starts buzzing. And another. And another. His former Nekoma teammates have decided to remind him that it's "the big day" and that even as a serious adult, he can't escape tradition.

Between Kenma's teasing (yes, even Kenma joins in), Lev's enthusiastic messages, and a female colleague who seems particularly nervous today, Kuroo realizes this day won't be as calm as he hoped.

But what he hadn't planned was running into Tsukishima at the end of the day, and that Tsukishima might have something to give him.

Scene 1: Morning at the office

Kuroo arrives with his coffee, still half-asleep. A female colleague intercepts him.

Colleague: "Kuroo-san! Happy Valentine's Day!"

Kuroo: (smiling) "Thanks! You too... I think? It's for men, right?"

Colleague: (blushing) "Yes, but we can still wish each other well! Here, this is for you."

She hands him a small bag.

Kuroo: "Oh, thank you! That's nice."

Colleague: "It's just obligatory chocolate between colleagues! Nothing special!"

Kuroo: (winking) "Sure, sure."

She walks away blushing. A male colleague approaches.

Male colleague: "Kuroo, you already got a confession?!"

Kuroo: "It's obligatory chocolate, calm down."

Male colleague: "Obligatory my eye! She blushed!"

Kuroo: (shrugging) "She always blushes."

Male colleague: "No, not like that."

Kuroo looks at the bag, then at the colleague sneaking glances from her desk. He sighs.

Kuroo: (thoughts) "Kenma was right. It's tiring."

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Scene 2: Conversation with Kenma (video call)

Kuroo, on lunch break, calls Kenma.

Kenma: (appears on screen, console in hands) "What?"

Kuroo: "Nice greeting."

Kenma: "I'm in the middle of a dungeon."

Kuroo: "Did you get any chocolates?"

Kenma: (pausing his game) "No."

Kuroo: "Not disappointed?"

Kenma: "No. Less stuff to handle."

Kuroo: "Same philosophy as always."

Kenma: "Why? Did you have problems?"

Kuroo: (sigh) "A colleague gave me chocolate. She blushed. Others are teasing me."

Kenma: "That's what happens when you play the charmer."

Kuroo: "I'm NOT playing the charmer!"

Kenma: "You smile. You do your cat eyes. You tilt your head. That's charmer."

Kuroo: "That's just my face!"

Kenma: "Mmh. And Tsukishima?"

Kuroo: (clearing throat) "What, Tsukishima?"

Kenma: (his gaze briefly lifting from his console) "He sent you a message. I saw it on your screen."

Kuroo: "You're watching my screen?!"

Kenma: "It's in my field of vision. Not my fault you put it near the camera."

Kuroo: "... He wants me to come by tonight."

Kenma: "Ah."

Kuroo: "That's it? 'Ah'?"

Kenma: "What do you want me to say? Good luck?"

Kuroo: "I don't know... Advice?"

Kenma: (putting down his console, really looking at him) "Kuroo. You're the most sociable person I know. If YOU need advice, humanity is doomed."

Kuroo: "It's different with him!"

Kenma: "I know. That's why I can't help you. Feelings are too complex."

A silence.

Kenma: "But for once, stop being a smartass. Just be... you. The you who takes care of people without them noticing."

Kuroo: (touched) "Kenma..."

Kenma: (picking up his console again) "Good dungeon. Bye."

The call ends. Kuroo looks at his phone, a tender smile on his lips.

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Scene 3: Getting ready

Kuroo, at home, in front of his closet. Clothes are spread everywhere. He holds a sweatshirt, looks at it, throws it on the bed. He takes another.

Kuroo: (talking to himself) "No, too formal. This one, too casual. This one, looks like I tried too hard. This one, looks like I didn't try at all."

His phone rings. He looks at the screen: Yaku.

Kuroo: (answering) "Yaku! Good timing!"

Yaku: "You sound weird. What's going on?"

Kuroo: "Nothing! Everything's fine!"

Yaku: "Why is your voice high-pitched?"

Kuroo: "My voice is NOT high-pitched."

Yaku: "Yes it is. You've got your stressed voice. Is it because of Tsukishima's message?"

Kuroo: (silence) "How do you know?"

Yaku: "Kenma told me."

Kuroo: "KENMA SHARES MY LIFE?!"

Yaku: "Just the interesting parts. So? Are you scared?"

Kuroo: "I'm NOT scared. I'm... I'm choosing an outfit."

Yaku's laughter on the other end.

Yaku: "KUROO CHOOSING AN OUTFIT TO SEE TSUKISHIMA! This is historic!"

Kuroo: "You're making fun, but what would YOU wear?"

Yaku: "Me? I'd wear what I always wear. If Tsukishima likes you, it's for the real you, not your sweatshirt."

Kuroo: (sigh) "Since when are you a philosopher?"

Yaku: "Since I saw you stressing over a date. Come on, wear your black sweatshirt, the one that makes your eyes stand out. And stop panicking."

Kuroo: "My black sweatshirt?"

Yaku: "Yeah. The one you wore at the spring tournament two years ago. Tsukishima looked at it three times."

Kuroo: "YOU COUNTED?!"

Yaku: "No, but Kenma did. He told me. Go on, good luck!"

Yaku hangs up. Kuroo stands there, black sweatshirt in hand, a stupid smile on his face.

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Scene 4: Outside Tsukishima's place

Kuroo is in front of the apartment door. He raises his hand to knock, hesitates, lowers it. He checks his watch. 6:58 PM. He's early. He steps back, takes a deep breath.

Kuroo: (muttering) "Calm down. It's just Tsukki. The sarcastic guy who looks at you like you're a scientific experiment. Nothing intimidating."

He raises his hand again. The door opens before he can knock. Tsukishima is there, in a comfortable sweatshirt, without his glasses.

Tsukishima: "You've been in front of my door for three minutes. I have cameras."

Kuroo: (blushing) "I... I was checking the time."

Tsukishima: "Mmh. Come in."

Kuroo enters the apartment. It's clean, tidy, with shelves full of dinosaur books. Tsukishima leads him to the living room.

Tsukishima: "Sit down. I'll get it."

Kuroo: "Get what?"

Tsukishima: (turning around) "You think I asked you here for nothing?"

He disappears into the kitchen. Kuroo sits on the couch, hands sweaty. He looks around. On the coffee table, a book about fossils is open. A bookmark with a little dinosaur sticks out.

Tsukishima: (returning) "Here."

He holds out a small box. Not fancy wrapping, just a simple box with a black ribbon.

Kuroo: "It's... chocolate?"

Tsukishima: (blushing slightly) "Yes. I... I made some. It's my first time, so it might not be great."

Kuroo: "YOU MADE CHOCOLATE?!"

Tsukishima: "Are you going to shout throughout the building?"

Kuroo: (lowering his voice) "Sorry but... YOU made chocolate. You. Kei Tsukishima. Who thinks cooking is 'too much effort for an uncertain outcome'."

Tsukishima: (looking away) "Yamaguchi helped. A little."

Kuroo: "A little?"

Tsukishima: "A lot. But I cracked the eggs myself."

Kuroo looks at him, heart swelling with an emotion he can't name.

Kuroo: "Tsukki..."

Tsukishima: "It's honmei choco, in case you didn't understand. Now stop looking at me like that, it's embarrassing."

Kuroo: "Like what?"

Tsukishima: "Like a cat who found a bowl of milk."

Kuroo: (blushing) "That's a weird comparison."

Tsukishima: "You're the weird one."

They look at each other. Tsukishima looks away, but a discreet smile hovers on his lips.

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Scene 5: The tasting

Kuroo has opened the box. The chocolates are a bit irregular, some slightly burnt on the edges, but the smell is delicious.

Kuroo: "They smell amazing."

Tsukishima: (sitting next to him, nervous) "Taste before judging."

Kuroo takes one, brings it to his mouth. His eyes widen.

Kuroo: "It's... it's really good!"

Tsukishima: "Really? You're not pretending?"

Kuroo: (mouth full) "Mm-mm! It's creamy, not too sweet... What did you put in it?"

Tsukishima: "Dark chocolate, a little cream, and... a pinch of salt. Yamaguchi said it brings out the flavor."

Kuroo: "He was right. It's perfect."

Tsukishima seems to relax slightly. He takes a chocolate for himself, tastes it.

Tsukishima: "It's not burnt?"

Kuroo: "A tiny bit on the edges, but it gives it a caramelized touch. Was that intentional?"

Tsukishima: "... No."

Kuroo: (laughing) "Even your accidents turn out well."

Tsukishima: "You're ridiculous."

Kuroo: "Thank you."

A comfortable silence settles. Kuroo places his hand on the couch, near Tsukishima's. Their little fingers almost touch.

Kuroo: "Hey, Tsukki?"

Tsukishima: "What?"

Kuroo: "I like you too. In case you didn't understand."

Tsukishima: (blushing intensely) "I... I know."

Kuroo: "So it's mutual?"

Tsukishima: "You're really stupid sometimes."

Their fingers intertwine.

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Scene 6: The return

Kuroo goes home late at night, a blissful smile on his face. His phone buzzes. The Nekoma group is in an uproar.

Yaku: "So?!"

Lev: "TELL US!"

Inuoka: "Is Kuroo-san alive?"

Kenma: "He's reading the messages. Not responding."

Kai: "Maybe he's in shock?"

Yaku: "KUROO ANSWER!"

Kuroo smiles. He takes a photo of the chocolates (Tsukishima's, not the office ones) and sends it to the group.

Kuroo: [photo of homemade chocolates]

Kuroo: "The best."

Yaku: "NOOO! IS IT TRUE?!"

Lev: "TSUKISHIMA-SAN MADE CHOCOLATE?!"

Inuoka: "Unbelievable."

Kenma: "Congratulations."

Kai: "Happy for you, Kuroo."

Yaku: "TELL ME EVERYTHING TOMORROW! I WANT DETAILS!"

Kuroo: "Some details are private, Yaku."

Yaku: "I DON'T CARE I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING!"

Kuroo turns off his phone, places the chocolate box on his nightstand, and lies down with that smile he can't wipe off.

Kuroo: (thoughts) "Tsukki made chocolate. For me. And he didn't even complain when I took his hand. This is probably the best Valentine's Day of my life."

He looks at the ceiling.

Kuroo: (thoughts) "Damn. I'm completely in love."