#levken

Lev definitely isn't asking Kuroo-san to be his plus-one to this wedding for crush reasons. Nope. Not at all.

Okay maybe just a little teensy tiny bit. Lev had a lot of love to give to a lot of people, alright? But mostly it was because the wedding was in Tokyo, and Kuroo-san is in Tokyo, and all of Vitya's cool skater friends would be there, and Kuroo-san would probably love to mingle with them, and make connections, and bring athletes closer together, and bridge the gap between Winter and Summer Olympic teams, and maybe do some promotions as well? Those all seemed like things Kuroo-san might be interested in.

And maybe Lev just didn't want to be the only one at the cousin table without a date. Even if that date was Kuroo-san. Who he definitely did not have (much of) a crush on.

For several minutes after sending the message, Lev stares anxiously at the set of three dots on Kuroo-san's side of the screen, vanishing and reappearing in uneven intervals. Was it too weird for Lev to have asked him? Did he not make it clear enough that he meant it purely platonically? Or maybe he was too clear... Lev generally didn't worry about such things, but the invention of read receipts had the ability to make even the most confident supermodel suddenly unsure.

Eventually Kuroo-san responds, but it's not the answer Lev wanted. And in fact, it's a little baffling.

kuroo-san!! > sorry, I'm busy that day. > you should ask kenma though

It wasn't that Lev hadn't considered asking Kenma. In fact, Kenma had been the first person that sprang to mind, even before Vitya and his fiance had pinned down Tokyo as the location. But Kenma was, well... Kenma. Lev knew well enough by now that he didn't do well with crowds of people, or loud noises, and weddings had both in endless supply.

But, on the other hand, Kuroo-san knew that about Kenma too - he knew Kenma better than anyone, really. And so Lev wondered if Kuroo-san knew something he didn't. Maybe it was worth trying to ask Kenma after all.

So he did.

Another endless wait passed, this one somehow even more nerve-wracking to Lev than the last, despite already knowing the answer would most assuredly be a firm 'no'.

Finally, blessedly, Lev's phone pings. He can't help it - he audibly gasps. He can't believe it.

kenma!!!! > sure. i'll go

---

To Kenma, every day feels like the one before. He does his online coursework, he checks his portfolio, he streams his games. He orders food for delivery. He texts Kuro. He doesn't text Shouyou. He's caught in a rut, and doesn't know how to get out. And if there's anything Kenma can't stand, it's when things aren't interesting.

Shouyou is interesting. Shouyou is on the other side of the world, being interesting without him. Kenma does what he can - will continue to do what he can. The distance from Miyagi to Tokyo doesn't seem so far now that it's in competition with the Pacific ocean.

Thankfully, the fans Kenma draws on his channel aren't the kind who need him to constantly be talking - he keeps quiet for the most part and lets his skills speak for him. This means that they don't know much about his personal life, like that he is - was - in a long-distance relationship. On that front, he doesn't need to worry.

But Kuro is a different story.

Kuro, who knows Kenma better than he knows himself. Kuro, who Kenma turned to first when Shouyou first suggested they take a break. Kuro, his annoying, meddling, troublesome best friend.

Kenma is sure Kuro is making plans to rescue him from the rut he was in. Kenma is too afraid to ask. Too prideful. But that doesn't mean Kuro won't spring it on him without permission anyway. It's really only a matter of time.

kuro > good news! > lev is about to ask you to go with him to his cousin's wedding > say yes

And there it is.

It's even more ridiculous than Kenma expected - weddings are noisy, and full of strangers, two things Kenma is notoriously bad with, and Kuro should know that better than anybody. And Lev -

Lev isn't a stranger, but he's as noisy as a whole bachelor party all on his own. He's loud and tactless and clumsy and earnest and striking and -

What.

No.

That is not a thought Kenma should be allowed to think. Even if the man is a literal supermodel now. Lev is... Lev.

lev > hey kenma!! i was wondering if you'd be free to come to my cousin Victor's wedding in a week?? you'd be doing me a huge favor. but i understand if not

It's a bad idea. It's a terrible idea. There's no way it can end well, Kenma thinks.

But Lev is... interesting.

And if there's one thing Kenma likes, it's people who are interesting.