Kuroo didn’t know why Sawamura continued to room with him, perhaps pity or concern, but the other man was just about the only good thing going in Kuroo’s life.  Sawamura had gotten joined the police academy after high school and gotten into Tokyo police department rather easily.  Kuroo and Sawamura had moved in together after a disastrous first dormmate experience Kuroo had.  Sawamura had gotten his criminal justice degree doing night courses and had moved up to detective just this past year.  He earned more than enough to get his own place but he stayed with Kuroo.

Kuroo kept expecting Sawamura to bring home some beautiful creature with him one day and inform Kuroo he was moving out.  Only god knew why the other man didn’t have someone as of yet, Kuroo had no romantic notions towards the other man but Sawamura in uniform was a sight to behold.

Sawamura was the one who dragged Kuroo to the party.  It was a lowkey affair but mostly Kuroo wanted to go home, change into his comfy clothes, and cuddle with Sawamura on the couch.

“Hey hey hey!”  A booming voice cut through the low chatter, causing eyerolls and grins all around as someone unexpected entered the house.  Kuroo’s stomach twisted as he looked over at the front entrance to the large form of his high school crush.

High school crush was actually putting it mildly.  Saying it that way made it seem as if it was something in the past, something Kuroo had gotten over and moved on from within the passing years.  Kuroo had moved on from the crush portion, that was true, now it was just full blown out unrequited love.

Bokuto was one of those few lucky people who seemed to get everything they ever dreamed of.  It didn’t just fall into his lap, he worked hard everyday of his life to get what he deserved and Kuroo had seen it first hand.  Had seen the blood, sweat, and tears Bokuto had shed to claw his way to the top.  How he had to start over from the bottom again and again and push his way to the top.  He was returning home from his second time at the Olympics and looked really great from his time spent in training.

Akaashi appeared to Bokuto’s left, smiling as he placed a hand on Bokuto’s arm to keep his former ace from waving his hands around wildly.  That was another thing Bokuto had gotten right, Akaashi.  The man had only gotten more beautiful with age, he carried a calm sort of dignity that Kuroo couldn’t even pretend he had.

“Tetsurou!”  Bokuto shouted happily once he spotted Kuroo, bounding over to him and wrapping some rather impressive arms around Kuroo.  Kuroo leaned into the hug, wrapping his own arms around Bokuto’s waist and squeezing him gently.  Kuroo pressed his face into Bokuto’s neck, tried not to inhale too deeply and look like a complete nutjob.  “Rough day, eh?”  Kuroo nodded and allowed Bokuto to rub up and down his back soothingly, his hand big and warm and a little rough against Kuroo’s back.

Kuroo pulled away because he was sure there was some sort of social norm that mandated the length of hugs between friends and he had already overstepped that by a lot.  Bokuto beamed at him, cheeks and nose a little red due to sunburn.

“I told you to be careful.”  Kuroo said, tapping Bokuto’s nose and watching it scrunch up adorably in response.

“This is nothing, you should have seen Akaashi’s face.”  Bokuto said with a grin.  Because Akaashi had gone to see Bokuto at the olympics, he had seen Bokuto’s amazing plays in person and had been there to support him while Kuroo was stuck at home, watching recorded games because he had been working during the real thing.

“What about my face?”  Akaashi asked as he walked over with Sawamura.

“You need to take better care of your skin Akaashi.”  Bokuto stated wisely, as if he hadn’t spent a day sprawled out on Kuroo’s living room floor once when they were 22 and he claimed that he didn’t need sunscreen and spent the entire day playing beach volleyball.  He had been as red as a lobster and Kuroo had mercilessly teased him while simultaneously pointing all fans at Bokuto’s body and spreading aloe over his burnt skin.

“I will do better in the future, thank you Bokuto.”  Akaashi’s voice was flat but Bokuto beamed as if he had no idea that Akaashi was being a little shit.

“Did someone say baby pictures?”  Bokuto turned his head before quickly making his way over to Konoha, who was showing off his new twins.

Kuroo watched Bokuto lean over Konoha’s shoulder, cooing and laughing at various pictures and videos.  There was always light and life practically oozing out of Bokuto.  The first Olympic he was in he became a fast fan favorite with his good looks and cheerful personality.  Kuroo had seen the numerous fan encounter pictures, with Bokuto hunched over his usually much smaller companion and both of them grinning broadly at the camera.  It made Kuroo’s heart ache sweetly with each picture he saw, every interview and game he watched.

Kuroo turned away from Bokuto before anyone else noticed his staring.  He turned back just in time to see Akaashi and Sawamura sharing a smile, standing close to each other.  It would have been normal if Sawamura’s mouth was nearly touching Akaashi’s ear, his forehead resting against Akaashi’s temple.  Akaashi was slightly taller than Sawamura but it wasn’t usually a noticable difference unless they were right on top of each other.

“What are you doing?”  Kuroo hissed out, appalled and feeling queasy as he glanced back over at an oblivious Bokuto before turning back to people he used to admire.  Akaashi’s eyebrows rose delicately as Sawamura turned to Kuroo.

“We’re around friends.”  Sawamura said firmly.

“Bokuto’s here!”  Kuroo rubbed at his face.  “You shouldn’t even be doing that in the first place.”  Kuroo couldn’t believe Akaashi and Sawamura were looking at him as if he was the one doing something wrong.  As if he had been the one to shamelessly flirt with a taken man.

“What the hell Kuroo?”  Sawamura asked, voice tight and temper high if he was referring to Kuroo by his family name.  They had long ago lost all formalities with each other.

“Wait,” Akaashi placed his hand on Sawamura’s bicep, holding the other man back and Kuroo gave a quick glance to Bokuto to see that he was still occupied.  Kuroo knew long distance relationships were hard but he never expected Akaashi to have an affair and especially not with Sawamura.  “Why would it matter if Bokuto is here?”

“Because you two have been dating since forever.”  Kuroo began to wonder if maybe Bokuto knew, if they had an open relationship.  Kuroo and Bokuto didn’t much talk about their romantic relationships.  Mostly for Kuroo it was because he had none and it hurt to hear Bokuto talk about Akaashi so he never asked about it.

“We went out on two dates a decade ago before realizing we were better off as friends.”  Akaashi’s voice had dipped low, devoid of emotion which usually was a telling sign that he was truly and properly angry.  “I’ve been dating Sawamura for months now.”  Kuroo turned to Sawamura, who nodded in agreement.

“I told you about it when it started.”  Sawamura confirmed.

“You-” Kuroo went over his past conversations with Sawamura in his head.  “You said Akaashi would be around more often and if I was okay with that.  That he might crash at our place but mostly you would be staying there.”  Kuroo felt like a complete idiot and Akaashi shaking his head didn’t help.

“It’s okay, you’ve been kind of having a rough go of things.”  Sawamura gave Kuroo’s head a rub.

“No, don’t comfort him, he’s an idiot.”  Akaashi chastised Sawamura, pulling his hand away from Kuroo’s head and entwining their fingers.  “You’re completely missing the most crucial part.”

“Crucial part?”  Kuroo asked, edging backwards from Akaashi’s fierce frown.

“The fact that you’ve been in love with Bokuto for years now and he’s felt the same way.”  Akaashi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand.  “I couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t confess when it was so blindingly obvious.”

“It was?”  Kuroo hesitantly asked because he was afraid that it wasn’t true.  Nothing was really going as Kuroo had expected his life to go and he never thought he would actually have his feelings returned.

“Yes it was, still is.”  Sawamura confirmed.  Sawamura might enjoy playing a prank or two on Kuroo but he was never outright cruel.  If he said Bokuto loved Kuroo then he was telling the truth.

“I’m going to steal Konoha’s baby.”  Bokuto said as he walked back over.  “They are super tired and there are two of them so they probably won’t notice if one goes missing, right?”  Bokuto glanced around for confirmation.

“Daichi, do you need something to drink?”  Akaashi asked tactfully, leading his apparent boyfriend away and leaving Kuroo alone with Bokuto.

“So, Akaashi and Daichi are dating huh?”  Kuroo asked.

“For months now.”  Bokuto turned back to Kuroo with a frown.  “You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”  Kuroo asked, genuinely curious.

“Because you’ve been in love with Daichi for years.”  Bokuto glanced around once more.  “So him dating someone else must really suck.”  Kuroo’s heart felt like it stuttered and stopped for a moment before he took a step closer to Bokuto because he could have sworn it sounded like Bokuto was jealous.  Jealous of Kuroo being in love with someone else.

“I don’t love Daichi, at least not like that.”  Kuroo stated firmly.  

“But wasn’t he your first kiss and everything?”  Bokuto asked and Kuroo cringed at the memory.

“Yeah but that was a long time ago when we were trying to figure ourselves out.”  Kuroo had been coming to terms with the fact that he was gay.  Being in love with one of your best friends was one thing but admitting that you’d never have the wife and kids your parents always pictured you with?  That was a difficult adjustment.  Sawamura was bisexual and dealing the a lot of the same problems, especially with going into a career with the police.  It came with certain stigmas.  Kuroo and Sawamura felt comfortable with each other enough to experiment.  No real feelings were involved and it was mostly clumsy and messy with a lot of mistakes and laughter.  Kuroo couldn’t regret that, but maybe he should have made things clearer to Bokuto.

“So you don’t love him?”  Bokuto asked, also taking another step closer.

“Not him.”  Kuroo glanced down at Bokuto’s lips, a little red from sunburn and cracked and dry.

“Just kiss already!”  Someone shouted from behind them and they both turned to see the entire room looking at them.