#kurootsuki

(this was before Kuroo was a confirmed capitalist) Kuroo would study something in line with these interests at university. I envision him becoming a chemical engineer and doing research in a lab setting (pls take this moment to imagine him in goggles, gloves, and a lab coat).

Kuroo sometimes falls back into his shy habits from time to time. Volleyball has gotten him out of his shell and he’s fine making friends at school, but if he’s in an uncomfortable situation, he tends to be on the quieter side.

Once he decides he likes someone, he really likes them. Kuroo isn’t the type of person to half-ass anything, especially relationships. He either loves you, hates you, or is indifferent.

Kuroo is a naturally good dancer and he knows it. He’s got surprising rhythm and has no shame showing off his skills.

He’s a total lightweight when it comes to drinking. He doesn’t drink often, so whenever he does, the alcohol hits him hard. Generally, he’s a happy, giggly drunk. He’ll start off the night loud and talkative, but eventually the sleepiness will set in and some unlucky soul (usually Kenma) will be tasked with taking him home.

general/sfw HCs for tsukishima

His love languages are quality time and acts of service. Tsukishima is bad when it comes to open communication. Rarely does he say “I love you” to his friends/family. He’d rather let his actions and service speak for themselves.

He’s a Libra sun, but I imagine both his rising sign is Aquarius and moon sign is Virgo.

A light sleeper. Tsukishima averages about 6-5 hours each night.

He is the worst dancer you’ve ever seen and you couldn’t pay him to make a fool of himself in front of other people.

Furious reader. Reads about 70-100 books each year. Prefers reading non-fiction, speculative science fiction, classics, and mysteries.

He’s definitely a night owl, as it’s when he gets his work done. In the mornings he has a hard time waking up and needs 1-2 hours of peace and quiet to prepare himself for the day.

In school, Tsukishima excels at most subjects (because he works hard), but he’s especially passionate about literature and English. I envision him working as a translator or an editor when he’s older (just something in the publishing industry).

The kind of music that Tsukishima listens to ranges. He mainly loves alternative, but he’s also into the weird, experimental stuff too.

He’s more of a casual drinker than Kuroo. He enjoys wine, sake, and certain IPAs. He also knows his limits well and will stop before getting too tipsy. Very rarely will he allow himself to get drunk. 

general/sfw relationship HCs (living together edition)

Whenever Tsukishima sings in the shower, Kuroo will stop by the bathroom door to record videos. The first time he did, it was meant to be a joke, but eventually it became a habit. As it turns out, Tsukishima is a great singer.

Because of their differing sleep schedules, many nights encompass Kuroo bothering Tsukishima, not-so-subtly hinting for him to come to bed. Tsukishima will often resist and insist that he needs to finish work. Kuroo is stubborn, however. On more than one occasion he has put his foot down and manually shut Tsuki’s laptop so that he has to come cuddle.

Speaking of cuddling, you would think that Kuroo is the big spoon, but he actually likes to sleep on his stomach. That, combined with the fact that Kuroo moves around a lot, makes cuddling difficult. Sometimes Tsukishima will sleep on his back with Kuroo draped over him like a weighted blanket. Mostly, however, Kuroo will sleep on his stomach, head stuffed between the pillows, with Tsukishima folded beside him, holding on to his shirt.

Kuroo said ‘I love you’ first. Tsukishima then proceeded to freak him out by responding with ‘I’ll get back to you on that’. After two weeks of radio silence, he finally responded with an out-of-context ‘same’. Kuroo never forgave him for that.

On the rare occasions where Tsuki gets drunk, Kuroo takes full advantage of his vulnerability and coaxes embarrassing declarations of love from his inebriated boyfriend (filming them, of course). Lots of “tell me how much you love me” and “who’s the best boyfriend in the world?” The poor defenseless Tsukishima will gush unabashedly, only to wake up the next morning with a massive hangover, tormented by Kuroo as he plays the videos on repeat with full volume. 

“Look at how cute you were, Tsuki!”

“Delete that right away or I’ll punch you.”

Kuroo doesn’t know that much about music (in comparison to Tsukishima) so he tends to stick with what’s popular/on the radio. The only time he branches out is when Tsukishima makes a curated playlist for him. Even if he doesn’t love all the songs, he’ll listen through the entire playlist on repeat, just happy to have a gift from his boyfriend.

Despite his confidence and posturing, Kuroo was honestly not that experienced when it came to relationships, dating, or sex before Tsuki. They were both each other’s first time, first love, and cannot imagine dating anyone else. 

nfsw HCs

To no one’s surprise, Kuroo is the more kinky one of the pair. There’s a lot of stuff that Kuroo wants to do with Tsuki. Actually getting him to agree to the ideas, however, it another matter entirely.

The kinks that Tsukishima will indulge include: light bondage (blindfolds, hand cuffs), sex toys, mild dom/sub play, hair pulling, shower sex, spanking, and filming.

Kinks that Tsukishima has refused include: public sex, choking, ball gags, and more elaborate role play scenarios.

Tsukishima moans very softly during sex, if at all. Kuroo, on the other hand, can’t seem to shut up. He loves to narrate how Tsukishima looks, tease him, and ask pointed questions (”How does it feel?”, “What do you want me to do?”, etc;). At first, Tsukishima hated this part of him, but it’s gradually grown on him.

Tsukishima and Kuroo are equally clever, confident and domineering people. Therefore, their power dynamic in bed is rather fluid.

Generally, Kuroo likes to be in control and have Tsukishima at his mercy, especially when the latter is acting prideful and condescending. At the same time, Tsukishima is not the type to be submissive to anyone. Sometimes Tsuki will surprise Kuroo by suddenly giving orders, just to spice things up ;)

In terms of praise and degradation, Kuroo enjoys the latter. There’s a reason he fell for Tsukishima, after all. He low-key likes to be called names during sex. Nothing too harsh, of course. He just really enjoys indulging that bitchy, rude side of his boyfriend while simultaneously making a mess of him.

For Tsukishima, the opposite is true. Though he would never admit it to anyone, Tsuki loves to be worshipped by Kuroo. In fact, the quickest way to get him to melt is to be showered with sincere compliments and praise, especially when he’s getting close - nothing will push him over the edge more than being told he’s doing such a good job.

Tsukishima Kei was bad at expressing his emotions. 

Or rather - he was not bad so much as he was methodical. He was almost too logical for his own good, approaching matters of the heart with a precise level of skepticism and objectivity. He would never let his emotions control him. Feelings like frustration and anger were fleeting, after all. Given time they would eventually fade, so there was really no need for Tsukishima to work himself up over nothing. 

Similarly, when Tsukishima felt an inkling of happiness or hope in his chest, he would never let it consume him, for those feelings were temporary, too. It was better to keep his expectations low. If things ended up taking a turn for the worst, then he could stave off disappointment (and save face).

Tsukishima approached all aspects of his life in this precise manner: school, family, volleyball, friendships, whatever. He never made any decisions without careful consideration. Nor did he allow himself to be carried away on whims or anything resembling irrationally.

Of course, that was before the joint training camp...before he met Kuroo Tetsurou.

Kuroo was different for Tsukishima and he couldn’t figure out why. All sense of rationality immediately flew out the window when it came to rooster-hair. Kuroo provoked a different side of him - one he didn’t even realize was there. At first, Tsukishima assumed the feeling swelling in his chest was annoyance - albeit an very extreme case. Kuroo did love to be a thorn at his side and tease him.

Deep down, however, Tsukishima knew it couldn’t be that simple. Whenever Kuroo ruffled his hair or pinched his cheek or got a little too close during blocking practice, Tsukishima didn’t know how to act. He’d pull away, flustered, cheeks burning red, heat chasing after Kuroo’s touch. The sensation crawling under his skin couldn’t be mere annoyance; it was too strong, too overwhelming.

Even more suffocating were the thoughts. They were constant: an endless barrage, day and night. All he could think about was that sly grin, and the feeling of Kuroo’s hand at his back, correcting his form in a manner that came off far more intimate than intended.

These feelings didn’t die with the training camp, either. Kuroo wouldn’t let them, no matter how hard Tsukishima tried. 

Somehow, in the weeks following the camp, Kuroo managed to get a hold of Tsukishima’s phone number. He doesn’t know who gave it out, but he suspected it might have been Hinata. The traitor.

Kuroo would message Tsukishima every day, first thing in the morning, reminding him to eat a full breakfast. He would sometimes even ask for pictures as proof. How are you going to get any stronger if you skip meals? 

In between classes, too, he would berate Tsukishima with questions. What’s the weather like there? How’s shrimpy doing? Did you eat lunch? What are you doing right now? Do you miss me?

Why do you keep talking to me? Tsukishima finally sent one day, his words seeming harsher than intended over text. He certainly didn’t mean to come off cold. He simply could not understand why Nekoma’s captain kept messaging him constantly, and over nothing. 

Kuroo’s reply was delayed - perhaps he was considering the question himself. Why does he keep talking to Tsukishima?

Later that night, his phone lit up with the answer. 

you’re cute thats why :P

Tsukishima stared at his screen. The heat, the blushing, the swelling in his chest - it all came flooding in full force.

He took off his glass and rubbed his eyes, the smallest hint of a smile ghosting his lips. 

-

Tsukishima didn’t know when their daily texts turned into daily calls, or when those calls then became FaceTimes. Kuroo must have suggested it at some point - he’s always the one coming up with ideas - but Tsukishima can’t say for certain. It was all a blur, really. 

What he did know, however, was that seeing Kuroo’s sly grin had now become a staple in his nighttime routine. After practice let out, he would walk home with Yamaguchi, greet his parents at the door, eat dinner with his brother, and then head up stairs to take a shower. Once he had dried off and slipped into sweats, he would putter around his room, waiting. Then, at 9 PM on the dot, his phone would ring.

Kuroo Tetsurou wants to FaceTime.

“Yo Tsukki~” 

He greeted him the same way every time. And every time, Tsukishima would return the greeting properly, like the respectful kouhai he was.

Kuroo didn’t like all that formal crap; he’d said so on multiple occasions. But no matter what, Tsukishima couldn’t bring himself to be familiar. He still felt flustered around Kuroo, like nothing between them had changed since training camp. 

Of course...nothing had changed between them. Whatever the hell they were doing...FaceTiming each other every day and talking until midnight...it was strictly platonic. 

That’s what Tsukishima kept telling himself. Strictly platonic.

“How was your day?” Kuroo asked. It wasn’t some poor attempt at small talk, either. He was genuinely interested. He’d listen to Tsukishima talk about school and practice, asking questions and following up on information previously shared.

“How’s your friend’s float serve coming along? What’s his name....”

“Yamaguchi,” Tsukishima answered. He propped his elbow on his desk and rested his chin in his palm, his other hand holding up the phone. “He’s been working a lot with the alumni,” he said, thinking back on practice. “His ball control is getting better.”

Kuroo whistled. “Already? You know, if he manages to get that nailed down by nationals, he might just give Nekoma some trouble.”

“Nationals?" Tsukishima smirked. "That’s a bit presumptuous. We probably won’t even beat Shiratorizawa next week...”

Ah, there is was. Tsukishima’s precise rationality; never letting himself get too hopeful.

“Hey, you don’t know that,” Kuroo cut him off. “Karasuno is strong. Not as strong as Nekoma, maybe...but you’ve got that freak duo. Daichi’s a reliable captain too, and your little libero is pretty competent when it comes to receives. Not to mention, they have you. My little blocking prodigy.”

Tsukishima’s stomach twisted in knots. “Shut up,” he muttered, his words lacking any real bite.

Kuroo yawned. He reclined further back on his bed, switching to his side. It was only then that Tsukishima realized how truly exhausted he appeared. By all means, Kuroo was a fairly energetic guy, especially when compared to the reserved Tsukishima. He was far more outgoing, getting easily wrapped up in Bokuto’s antics and causing mischief just for the fun of it.

But now, his energy was noticeably low, sapped from him. The circles under his eyes were dark, and his voice was beginning to rasp. Tsukishima’s brows furrowed.

“Are you alright? You seem tired.”

Kuroo chuckled at this. “Aw, are you worried about me, four-eyes?”

Tsukishima’s rolled his eyes. “No. I just don’t want to keep you up.”

Kuroo grew suddenly serious. “Don’t hang up. I’m not tired. I’m the one who called you, anyway.”

Tsukishima was unconvinced, raising a skeptical brow. 

Kuroo sighed. “Really, four-eyes, when did you become so responsible? I’m only tired because training was brutal today. We lost our practice match against Fukurodani last week and coach made us pay today with extra laps.”

“You lost to Bokuto?” Tsukishima asked, not even bothering to hide the smile playing at this lips.

“Oi, give me a break,” Kuroo moaned, frowning. “I've had a long day and I didn’t call you to be made fun of.”

Tsukishima’s smile faded. He brought his knees up and hugged them to his chest, toes curling over the end of his desk chair. He allowed himself a beat of consideration, before asking, “Why did you call me, then?”

“Hah?” Kuroo squinted his eyes, looking at Tsukishima as if he were the dumbest person alive. “Cause I wanted to hear your voice, of course. Keep talking.”

The knots in Tsukishima’s stomach returned, twisting and flipping and turning inside out. For a second, he really felt like he was going to throw up. “Oh,” was all he could think to say. “Ok.”

And so talk he did, rambling about nothing. He must have gone on for thirty minutes uninterrupted. He can’t even remember what he said - something about an assignment for class he was struggling with. At some point, he was so strapped for interesting topics that he brought up his older brother - someone he rarely ever mentioned nowadays. 

“...recently he’s been coming to our matches. He’s still a little awkward about everything, but I think he’s trying to make up for lost time...”

Tsukishima trailed off, distracted by the sound coming from the other side of the screen. Kuroo’s eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm, his breathing heavy and loud.

The bastard was snoring.

“I told you to go to bed, dumbass,” Tsukishima said softly. He wondered how long Kuroo had been out for, chiding himself for not noticing sooner. 

His first instinct was to hang up. Kuroo really did seem wiped out from practice. Tsukishima knew if he woke him up now, the stubborn idiot would insist he was fine and try to keep talking. Kuroo was usually the reason their nightly FaceTimes stretched out to midnight. He hated saying goodnight and would come up with any excuse to prolong the conversation.

At the same time, Tsukishima couldn’t bring himself to end the call. His eyes were glued to the screen, drinking up the soft expression before him. 

Kuroo was never one to put on airs and pretend to be something he’s not. At least, not in the way Tsukishima was sometimes guilty of. That being said, Kuroo definitely liked to play up certain parts of his personality when the two talked. He was always lighthearted, making unfunny jokes to keep the atmosphere from becoming too serious. That was part of the reason why Tsukishima found him so hard to read. There were very few occasions in which Kuroo’s expression broke from that sly grin.

This just so happen to be one of those rare, golden moments.

Kuroo’s brows knit together while he slept, creasing in the middle as if he were worried about something. His right cheek was buried in his pillow, causing his lower lip to part slightly and create a small puddle of drool by his chin. His hair, which was messy on a good day, had been further rumpled by the pillow, sticking flat to his forehead. And his expression - it was nothing Tsukishima ever seen before - soft and vulnerable, tinted orange from the glow of his bedside lamp.

Staring in quiet awe, Tsukishima realized he wanted to see this side of Kuroo more often. He imagined what it would have been like if they were together in person, talking late into the night until Kuroo inevitably drifted off first. Tsukishima would just lay there beside him, wide awake, soaking up his vulnerable expression until he was content.

Thoughtlessly, he brushed his thumb across the screen, stopping over Kuroo’s parted lips, wondering what they felt like.

Wait.

It only took a second of self-reflection to snap Tsukishima back to reality. He quickly ended the call and placed his phone face down on the desk. He sat there frozen for a second or two, before covering his face with both hands.

What the hell was he just thinking?

Tsukishima was no fool. He may have been a rational thinker, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t reconcile his own emotions, especially when they were presented to him so clearly. 

Part of Tsukishima - a deeply buried, unconscious part - had always known this would happen. From the very beginning, Kuroo had been different. Tsukishima fixated on him, imitated him, looked up to him. But more than that, he liked him. He liked him so much that he was willing to put up with his lame jokes and constant teasing. Hell, he would gladly talk for hours each night about nothing, so long as it meant more time together.

It was only a matter of time before Tsukishima dealt with the feelings planted firmly in the pit of his stomach. They had always been there, vining through his body and blooming beneath his skin every time Kuroo’s number lit up his screen.

After what felt like forever, Tsukishima finally pulled his hands away from his face. He leaned back in his desk chair and stared at the blank white ceiling. Strangely, he was smiling.