Thread by @todxrxki, it's a wednesday, and kuroo's class has just gotten out. the throbbing [...]

it's a wednesday, and kuroo's class has just gotten out. the throbbing in his head tells him that he's in desperate need of caffeine. there's only one option for him, then - he makes a beeline for his favorite coffee place. he walks in and heads to the counter confidently.

he's about to deliver his usual greeting when his gaze falls on the barista and he blinks, his eyes widening. what the hell?
that's /definitely/ not akaashi, who's usually manning the front. it's not tsukishima either, who intentionally tries to avoid him.

no, it's someone else altogether. it's a guy with long, dark hair, tied back into a ponytail, and the most gorgeous golden eyes kuroo's ever seen. he loses the ability to breathe for a couple of seconds before he gets ahold of himself.
"you must be new here," he manages.

"uh, yeah," the guy mumbles. "my second day. but i've worked at other coffee shops before, so don't worry."
"oh, i'm not worried," kuroo says before he can stop himself. "i mean, you look like you know what you're doing."
the guy just furrows his eyebrows. it's kind of adorable.

"what can i get for you?" he asks flatly.
"well, a million dollars would be nice - "
"kuroo-san," a voice interrupts before he can finish. "stop harassing the new people."
"ah, akaashi," kuroo says, beaming at the new arrival. "i was wondering where you were! i got worried."

"kozume," akaashi says under his breath, "don't let him get to you. he's a pain in the ass at the best of times."
"i can tell," 'kozume' mumbles back.
"excuse me!" kuroo interjects. "i'm right here! this is terrible customer service!"
"don't return, then," akaashi says.

well, akaashi's got him there. kuroo shrugs. "so you're kozume, then?"
"just call me kenma," kozume says. "it's easier that way."
his first name, kuroo thinks, and nearly passes out. there's a hot barista at his favorite coffee shop and he wants kuroo to call him his first name?!

this is straight out of kuroo's dreams. he pinches his arm just in case, then grins at kozume - at /kenma/. "okay then, kenma," he says. "can i get a coffee?"
"what kind of coffee?" kenma asks.
"just a coffee," kuroo says. "black."
"no sugar or anything?"

"nah," kuroo says, baring his teeth in a grin. "i'm too hardcore for that."
"that's just gross," kenma mutters, but presses some buttons on the register. akaashi barely suppresses a laugh beside him, and kuroo glares at them.
"the customer service here is awful, you know."

"go somewhere else then," akaashi says yet again.
"mmm, i don't think i will," kuroo says as kenma hands him back his change. he takes a seat at his table and directs his stare back over to where kenma's saying something to akaashi. suddenly kuroo's feeling a lot more awake.

of course, kuroo doesn't go anywhere else. the next day, he returns to the coffee shop, feeling his heartbeat quicken the second he walks in the door. "hey," he says, approaching the counter. "you haven't been driven away yet?"
"not yet," kenma says with a pointed glance at him.

"hey, don't worry," kuroo says. "if i get too annoying, you can just tell me to fuck off. i won't take offense to it."
kenma raises an eyebrow. "i'll keep that in mind," he says, but doesn't tell kuroo to fuck off. at least there's that.
"i'll have the same thing as yesterday."

kenma shakes his head. "i don't see why you'd want to drink coffee without anything sweet in it. sounds like a nightmare."
"what's your usual order, then?"
kenma turns away a little, his cheeks turning pink as he says, "hot chocolate."
he's the cutest person on the planet.

that's what kuroo decides as he says, "ah, well, there's not enough coffee in that to satisfy me. but maybe i'll get a mocha next time."
"that'd be better, at least," kenma says, and kuroo's heart soars. he's becoming determined that he's going to charm kenma.

he goes home that night and searches online for how to charm people. he absorbs the tips one by one. eye contact. smile. ask them about themselves. open, friendly body language. he can totally do this, he tells himself. he can get kenma to like him.

so he returns to the coffee shop the next day, flashing kenma a huge grin that he hopes isn't creepy. "hey, kenma," he says. "how are you today?"
"could be better," kenma says flatly.
"hey, just out of curiosity, are you a student?"
"yeah."
"what are you studying?"

"computer science," kenma says. "is this an interview, or can you just confirm your order already?"
"as rude as ever," kuroo says with a small laugh. "but fine, fine. same as usual."
well, that hadn't gone as well as kuroo had hoped. but maybe kenma just needs time?

so he gives it time. he keeps going back, even more often than before - though tsukishima berates him once when his face falls upon seeing tsukishima instead of kenma behind the counter. he keeps talking to kenma, asking him questions about himself. kenma is so interesting.

kuroo can't help but want to know even more about him. but kenma's just... hard to break through to. he sighs as he enters the coffee shop for what feels like the hundredth time that week.
but this time there's a customer in front of kuroo ordering with kenma.

kuroo listens in as he talks to the customer, waiting for his sarcastic remarks. but there... aren't any. kenma talks quietly, nervously, not making eye contact and definitely not saying anything remotely offensive.
kuroo feels like his entire world has been turned upside down.

"kenma," he says once he gets to the counter. "you aren't rude to other people."
kenma's eyes dart away, his cheeks turning pink. "no one else is annoying like you are," he mumbles, but it sounds like a lie.
"so i'm special, huh?"
"wha - that's not what i'm saying."

"if you're wondering if he likes you," akaashi says, appearing from behind kenma's shoulder, "the answer is yes."
kenma glares daggers at akaashi. it's honestly kind of terrifying. "watch your back," he hisses.
"you like me, huh?" kuroo asks, unable to stop the grin on his face.

"i do not," kenma says. it sounds like a lie again.
"hey," kuroo says. "after you get off work, would you maybe wanna go, uh, get lunch with me or something? my treat, of course."
the red flush on kenma's cheeks only increases as he says, "i guess."

months later, kuroo heads back into the coffee shop. this time, he leans across the counter and presses a kiss to kenma's cheek. kenma bats him away. "not at my work," he hisses.
"aw, but this is where i met you," kuroo complains. "so it's special. to me, at least."

kenma glances around the shop, making sure there aren't any customers watching, before he leans across the counter himself and presses a short kiss to kuroo's lips, leaving them tingling afterwards. "now," he says, a tiny smile curving up at his lips, "can i take your order?"

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