Chase

The boys all bolt out of their chairs and move to follow, though Arthur whistles, catching their attention. "Give the girl a head start! I'll explain the rules of the game now, if you disobey, you're disqualified." Arthur says and all of the boys stop in their tracks, turning to Arthur. "As you can tell, this is a game along the lines of tag or hide and seek. The goal is to capture Kiki- you'll work in groups of three or less with your own objectives. You can choose to capture her and have your way with her pretty little mouth- doctor's orders say no more, if it's found that you disobeyed… well, look around. I'm sure you'll find plenty of people who will guarantee that you pay the toll." Arthur purrs though none of the boys flinch, knowing full well if the doctor ordered it that they would obey. They had seen her in the hospital, they didn't want to put her back and they sure as hell didn't want to be on the receiving end of the hellish wrath as the person who put her there. "Of course some light petting is allowed if you prefer to appreciate a girl properly, but you have to be gentle and don't push her limits! Nothing more!" Arthur says, the boys all feeling a thrill as they think of her writhing on their fingers.

"The time limit is when her undergarments get here- after those arrive, if she has yet to be captured then she wins. I'll think of a suitable punishment for you if you lose, I'm sure you all know I like my trouble." Arthur cackles and all the boys shiver, remembering the humiliation of getting on their hands and knees so Arthur could take pictures. "That being said, if you want to sit out on the action you can do so by staying in this room and not participating at all. You'll miss out on the fun, of course, but you'll also miss out on the punishment." Arthur says, though Kags, Hina, Enno, Lev, Aima and Misaki sit down and get comfortable. "Now, there are two ways to go about this game- capture her and have your fun with her now- how could you deny that cute maid outfit? Or you can choose to capture her and enjoy a reward of your choice later. Mind you, if you choose to be in a group, the reward must be agreed upon amongst the team." Arthur says, everyone looking between themselves as they consider teammates. "No fighting, be gentle, play nice and fair. The group that has Kiki in their clutches when the panties arrive wins." Arthur says, the boys all splitting into groups and discussing game plans.

I dash up the stairs, dragging my hand along the banister as I went- the place was open and spacious, so few places to hide- and all the places that were good to hide in were the obvious places to hide. Sure, I was a small girl and I could fit in some tiny places, but if I was found there would be no escape. All the bigger hiding spots were obvious- closets, under beds, dressers. Those would be the first places to look. The place was nothing like the last mansion we rented, it was a modernist mansion with plenty of windows and pure white walls. It was mostly bedrooms, a large modern kitchen, an indoor pool, an outdoor hot tub and an exercise room. That was really it, considering I was running around in a showy maid outfit with no panties, I was going to stand out and have limited mobility. Of course I could abandon my decency and be more free, but I had my pride- I just needed to be smart and quick. "Let the game begin!" Arthur's voice chimes from my ring, though I hear black sheep 'metric' playing from the living room downstairs. The pounding of feet sounded out of the room and I hissed out a breath- Arthur had limited me to inside the mansion, the living room was off limits.

Suddenly a door opens and I jump out of my skin as I slam into a hot chest. We both tumble to the ground and I gasp as I land on a hot chest, straddling their lap. "Where's the fire, Kitten?" Kuroo chuckles as I hear a big commotion downstairs- "She's upstairs!" Someone yells and I hiss, scrambling back to my feet. "You didn't see me!" I say as I dash away, feeling goosebumps break out over my skin. I hear a stampede coming up the stairs as I slide into the exercise room- just what I was looking for. I dash over to the boxing stage, diving underneath and army crawling to the middle. "Kuroo! Have you seen Suzuki?" Bokuto asks as he comes to a stop in front of the man pulling himself up. "Uh, yeah, she just ran that way." Kuroo says, pointing the opposite direction Kimiko went. "Thanks bro!" Bokuto says as he turns on his heel, dashing in the direction that Kuroo pointed. "AGAASHI! She went this way!" Bokuto yells and a stampede of boys dash after him, though he was the fastest of them. Kozu and Suna come around the corner, noticing the confused Kuroo. "There you are Kuroo. Join our team." Kozu says as he explains the game and rules to Kuroo, making him grin as they make a plan.

"Are you sure she's in here?" Suna asks and I tense, my eyes darting in the direction of the door that just opened. "Yupp, she came into this room." Kuroo says and I can't help but curse him as I tuck myself as low as I could. "Pudding, we're here to help. If you come with us, we'll protect you from the others." Kozu says as I hear the three split up and look around the room. I stay quiet, taking small shallow breaths as I close my eyes, listening intensely so I had an idea of where they were. "Are you really sure that she's in here, Kuroo? There's not many places for her to hide, you said she went in the opposite direction didn't you?" Kozu asks as he gets farther away, though I hear someone else shuffling over. "I saw her come in here. The only reason I told the others she went in the opposite direction is because she said not to tell anyone I saw her. He caught me while I was still knocked over, so I told him I saw her run that way. I figured she didn't want to be found and he yelled it, the others followed him. Then you told me about the game." Kuroo says- he also sounded distant, so the person that was nearby had to be Suna. "Little Cutie!" My ring chimed in perfect quality, the room falling silent.

My eyes widened as I held my breath, my eyes darting to every entrance as I heard the boys shuffle over. "Pudding, are you in there?" Kozu asks and I flinch- he was by the entrance I came in from, Suna was by the one opposite and Kuroo was on the one to my left. "Pudding, are you in there?" My ring echos and they yank the skirt up, making me gasp as my cheeks burn. "Shit!" I squeak as they all kneel down, not moving to come inside. I look anxiously between the three- as long as they didn't move, I wouldn't run. "Well, I didn't know you could go under these things." Kuroo chuckles and I glance anxiously at him. "We're not going to come under there, Pudding. As we said, we'll help you if you come with us. You can of course take your chance staying here, but everyone has one use on your ring. People are in groups of up to three- they're on the other side of the mansion now, but it won't be long before they realize Kuroo lied and that you came this way." Kozu says and I look back at him, sparing an anxious look at Suna. "Arthur didn't mention groups." I mumble, Kozu sitting down and crossing his legs, helping me relax a bit though I turn to watch Kuroo and Suna.

"Well, each group has their own intentions, plans and goals. Our goal is to help you by getting you away scott free." Suna says, sitting back in his kneeling position. "And we have a plan, but we'd need you to execute it." Kuroo says and I hear someone in the hallway. "Someone's coming!" I hiss and they all drop the skirt, shuffling away as I fall silent. The door slams open and I hold my breath, listening intently. "Oi! How dare you lie to me, Bro!" Bokuto whines as I hear him and one other person come into the room. "She wasn't over there? She isn't here either." Kuroo says, though I hear the boys searching the room. "No offense Kuroo, but you lied to us once. We're going to check ourselves." Akaashi says as I hear them shuffling around. "Agaashi! Let's use the ring!" Bokuto chimes though Akaashi lets out a deep sigh. "Bokuto, I already told you we should wait until we know we're in the right area." Akaashi says and I feel relief flood through me- they didn't think I was in the room. "You use yours to make up for lying to me, Kuroo!" Bokuto says and I hold my breath, feeling anxious- but excited. "I can't do that." Kuroo says, my body tingling as I hear everyone pause.

"I don't have the app installed yet. I wasn't at the briefing, remember?" Kuroo says and I let out a slow quiet breath of relief. "Install it then! Kyanma, use yours!" Bokuto whines and I lay my forehead against the floor, feeling tense. "I can't do that, I already used mine." Kozu mumbles, Bokuto humming as I hear Akaashi pause. "What are your group's intentions?" Akaashi asks, hearing him walk over to Bokuto. "The same as yours. We want to capture her and collect the reward." Kuroo says simply and I press my lips together- the traitors almost tricked me into trusting them. "Bokuto… use your ring." Akaashi says simply and tension takes over the room. "But Agaashi, you just said-" Bokuto whines as I hope that he doesn't. "They're lying, Bokuto. She's in this room- Kozu wouldn't use his ring unless he was 100% sure she was here. They must be helping her hide." Akaashi says and I press my lips together. "Okay! I trust you, Agaashi!" Bokuto cheers as I hear them all fall silent. "Okay! I trust you, Agaashi!" My ring cheers and I hear Bokuto diving for the entrance. I squeal as he slides under the entrance I came through, Akaashi appearing at the right entrance as Kuroo appears at the left entrance.

"Come here, we'll help you!" Kuroo says, though his words from earlier ring in my ears- I couldn't trust that easy. I fake as if I was going to go to the entrance in front of me, both of them dropping the skirt and cocooning us in darkness as they move to that entrance. "Akaashi! I can't see, it's too dark in here!" Bokuto whines as I army crawl to the left entrance, hearing Bokuto fumble around. The entrance I faked going for opens just as I slip out of the left entrance, dashing for the door. "Wait, Kimi-chan!" Kozu calls as I hear him and Suna chasing after me. I slam out of the door knowing that I had to get out while Bokuto, Akaashi and Kuroo were occupied, them being the fastest of the group. I slam into a chest and grunt as I tumble to the ground with them, though I don't wait to scramble away. "Suzuki-chan!" Ryu calls as I dash for the stairs, though I hear them scramble up and chase after me. I see Iwai and Toru come around the corner on the opposite side of the stairs, their eyes finding me. "Little Cutie! Come here!" Toru chimes as he and Iwa dash for me, though I push myself faster- I just needed to get to the stairs before them! I manage to get to the stairs but I see 'Tsumu, 'Samu and Kita climbing them.

I curse as I debate taking the banister, though Suga, Daichi and Asahi appear at the end of the stairs. Before I can think twice I jump onto the railing, my eyes darting around for something to grab onto. "Kimiko Suzuki don't you dare jump from there!" Suga yells though I propel myself off the railing, reaching my hands out. I grab onto the chain of the chandelier, using it to swing myself up and onto the support. "Hoo! Whoa!" I gasp as the chandelier swings back and forth with my momentum, feeling giddy as adrenaline rushes through my body. "Kimiko! Get down from there this instant!" Daichi yells as I hear a door open, glancing down and seeing Arthur peek out of the living room. "Kiki are you on the chandelier again?" Arthur laughs as I hold on tightly to the main chain, hearing it creak in protest- it's still swinging. "Not for long! I think we owe someone a chandelier or two, Arthur." I call as I start swinging it back and forth on purpose- this chandelier was a smaller version of a bigger one nearby. "Shit, okay, um-" Arthur says as he runs back into the living room. "Out of the way, it's coming down!" I call as I hear the ceiling crack and I dive for the bigger chandelier-

The smaller chandelier falls with a loud crash, my hands grabbing on tight to the metal as I sling my legs onto the next chandelier. I hear the boys all cry out as I take deep breaths, the bigger chandelier swinging lightly. "Okay, hold on, we're gonna get you down!" Aima calls from the room and I look down at her. "Aima if you don't get your ass back in the safety of that room, I'm going to let go so this thing doesn't come down on you!" I yell and Aima raises her hands, running back into the room. I look around, the chandelier creaking in protest as I get a better grip. "No couches this time, Kiki. Think you can land it?" Arthur calls as I hear him shut the living room door. "Uh, I need to be in a better position and bring this thing down on purpose." I call as Arthur lets out a maniacal laugh, though I slowly work my way up to the top of the chandelier. "Fun, fun! Just like old times!" Arthur says and I snort as I hear the boys all panicking. "Oi! Calm your asses down, this isn't the first time she's brought a chandelier down! She's a trapeze artist for God sake, she can handle this!" Arthur says as I grab onto the main chain, pulling myself onto the main support and getting a footing.

"Damn, someone needs to do some dusting up here." I say as I glance down- big mistake. I swallow thickly as I look up at the ceiling. "Uh, Arthur, I kinda forgot my new found fear." I croak and I hear him cursing in all sorts of languages. "Shit, fuck, cow!" Arthur groans and I let out a bubbling laugh as I close my eyes. "Cow? Really, Arthur?" I say as I hear him groan in frustration. "Yeah, well, uh, I kinda… um… so uh, the height is freaking you out?" Arthur asks and I slowly glance down before quickly looking back up. "I guess? I mean… you know me, not really the freak out type." I say and Arthur chuckles ironically. "Yeah, I know you, more the quiet freak out in your head type." Arthur says and I take quiet deep breaths as I look around. "On the bright side, it's not as tall as the hotel!" Arthur says and I snort as I swallow thickly, my hands feeling clammy. "It's not? I mean, uh, I know it's not but… um…" I say as I glance down- everytime I looked down, the ground seemed further away. "Oh, shit. Oh, oh it's- it's really freaking you out." Arthur says and I look back up at the ceiling. "I'm not the freak out type, Arthur." I say, my voice beginning to shake- the chandelier stopped swinging.

"I mean, not gonna lie Kiki, but you do freak out, just not like other people. You freak out in your head, then you get anxious and then you end up-" Arthur says though I wipe my hands off on my skirt one by one. "Arthur? I don't think we should be discussing this when I just want down- not in a bad way, either. I don't think I can jump this one." I say as I hear Arthur shuffle around under me. "Okay, I uh… I think a ladder is out of the option on this one." Arthur says and I groan as I cling onto the chain. "No shit, sherlock." I grumble, hearing him click his tongue. "You're not wearing shoes, are you?" He asks and I take a deep breath, shaking my head. "I'm guessing there's a lot of glass from the last chandelier coating the ground." I say as I close my eyes, biting my bottom lip. "Yupp." Arthur says and I groan softly. "Can we please just get her down somehow?" Suga says as I hear all the boys agreeing. "Does anyone have suggestions? I'm racking my brain right now, she can't go back the way she came lest she slip and fall onto the other chandelier." Arthur says and I flinch, pressing closer to the chain. "Can we not say the s or f word?" I say, swallowing thickly as I glance around.

"Oh shit, my bad…" Arthur mumbles as I get a better grip on the chain. "Usually she would bring it down and make a miraculous landing. Unfortunately she uh, she's got a new found fear of heights so…" Arthur says as I hear the boys start freaking out. "On the bright side, I'm pretty sure you won the game. I mean, your panties aren't here yet, but you can hang out till they get here!" Arthur chimes and I feel my face burn as I slap my hands to my skirt. "Shit! Oh- oh my god-" I say as the chandelier lightly swings with the fast movement, though I collapse to my knees and hang on tight. The chandelier creaks in protest as I feel a dark shudder go down my spine. "Arthur, move!" I say as I hear him quickly move out of the way. "Oi, back up!" Arthur calls as something cracks, the chandelier suddenly tilting at an angle. I cry out and squeeze my eyes shut as I hear more loud cracking- my body freezes up as I hear something give. The chain goes limp in my hands as I feel gravity pulling me down- I hold tight to the chain, keeping myself rooted to the support. It was falling, I knew it, I felt it in every terror filled cell of my body- but I couldn't move. "Jump!" Someone cries out, snapping me out of it.

I let go of the chain, diving forward with my eyes closed and arms outstretched. Someone grabbed me out of the air, turning us around and crouching as a loud crash sounded. My ears rang as I heard millions of small shatterings, the person who caught me coddling me in their tight embrace. I held on tightly to them, my body trembling as it slowly went quiet. "Uh, is everyone okay?" Arthur asks as I hear him walking through the shattered glass, everyone chiming in. "Are you okay, Princess?" Daichi asks in my ear and I let out a shuddered breath as I nod my head. The doorbell rings and we both jump as I slowly pry my head to look at the door as Arthur opens it. "Uh, delivery?" The guy says, seeming confused as he raises an eyebrow at the scene, holding out a hand. "Oh, thank you. Uh, don't mention this to anyone, got it?" Arthur says, taking out his wallet and pulling out a few hundreds before taking the bag, putting the money in his palm. "Oh. Yeah, my lips are sealed. Good luck explaining that." The man says happily as he runs back to his car. "Looks like your group won, Daichi." Arthur chuckles as he comes over and offers me the bag.

"Thanks for the ride, Arthur." I say as I step out of the Lincoln, Arthur flashing me a smile as I grab my bag full of schoolwork. "Anytime girlie. Let me know when you're ready for your ride back- I'm going to go visit my tall, dark and handsome since we're close, so it might be a minute before I can actually come. I packed you an overnight bag just in case." Arthur says as he reaches in the back and grabs a duffel bag, offering it to me. "You should've told me in advance, I would've asked Kozu if I could stay the night. At least then it wouldn't be sprung on him." I groan as I hesitantly take the bag, Arthur's lip twitching. "Like they would deny you; besides, we don't know if it's a set thing yet." Arthur says and I shake my head, rolling my eyes. "It's true that he will probably say yes, but it's still rude to just spring it on him." I grumble, Arthur chuckling as he pats my shoulder. "I'm sure he doesn't care." Arthur says and I stick my tongue at him before I kick the door shut, walking to the front gate of Kuroo's house. I sling the duffel bag over my shoulder as I press the button, pulling my hair out of the way and waiting outside. I glance to the door as I hear it open, Arthur already driving off.

I saw a beautiful woman step out- she had silky black hair that tumbled down her shoulders and reached the middle of her back. She was dressed in a black cocktail dress, her long legs accentuated by a pair of black heels. Her eyelids were sparkling like diamonds, her hazel eyes framed by a set of thick black lashes. Her lips were a glossy coral color, one that really suited her natural complexion. "I gotta get back to work. I love you, be good." The woman says in a low sultry voice- my eyes widen as she turns around, Kuroo appearing behind her. "I love you too, be safe." He says, a car pulling up behind me as Kuroo leans down. I drop my gaze as I hear them kiss- I feel a sharp pang in my chest as I tighten my grip on my bag, pressing my lips together. I step out of the way as I hear her heels clicking along the pathway, glancing at the car that had stopped in front of the gate. The gate opens and I look up at the woman, her gaze finding me. I didn't compare to her- I was dressed in a gray hoodie, black jeans and my black wedge sneakers. I hadn't bothered with makeup, my hair in a ponytail- my wedges barely made me 5'6". She easily towered over me, her heels easily making her over 6'0".

"Tetsuro, your friend is here." The woman calls before she gracefully slides into the car, offering me a smile as she waves. I hesitantly wave back, offering her a half-hearted smile as the car slides away. "Hey Kitten." Kuroo says from the gateway, making me jump as I realize he was right in front of me. "Oh. Um, hey." I say as I drop my gaze, my cheeks burning as I glance back at the car. "Come in, I'll make tea." Kuroo says as he heads back into the house and I reluctantly follow behind him. "Go ahead and head up to my room, I'll bring the tea up in a minute." Kuroo says as I slide up the stairs, heading into his room. He had set up a kotatsu in the middle of the room- I set the duffel bag Arthur had packed onto his bed. It was his new one- Arthur had worked it out with him at some point. I couldn't help but wonder if Arthur had got him the kotatsu as I slid under, finding it was already nice and toasty. Who was that woman from earlier? Had they been using this kotatsu together before I arrived? Or maybe… I shake my head, pulling out my homework and setting it on the tabletop. I pull out my phone and ask Kozu if I could maybe stay the night before I put in my headphones, getting to work.

I can feel the gears turning in my head as I read over the question again, my eyebrows furrowed tight. I press my pencil against my bottom lip, squinting my eyes as I wrack my brain for the answer. I sigh in defeat before I turn to my notes, flipping them open as Iean my head on my palm. I read over my notes on the subject, but my eyes just glaze over the information. I groan, dropping my pencil as I bury my face into my palms, rubbing my face. The table shifts lightly and I jerk my head up, seeing that Kuroo has set a tray of tea down. My eyes find his as he grins at me, pointing to his ear. I pull my headphones down to my neck, my cheeks burning as I realize he was right beside me again. "Tough question?" He asks and I rub the back of my neck, giving him a sheepish smile. "Guess you could say that." I say, not wanting to admit that I found it difficult to concentrate. My mind kept wandering back to that woman from earlier- it was bugging me for some reason. "I didn't know you wore glasses." Kuroo says and I quickly take them off, setting them to the side. "Just for reading. I can do without, but I end up straining my eyes." I say, Kuroo humming as he kneels beside me, taking the paperwork.

"Keep them on, they're cute." Kuroo says, squinting his eyes at the paperwork and reading it over. I hesitantly pick them back up and slide them back on, though Kuroo sets the paperwork back down. "Hold on…" he mumbles as he stands up, walking over to his desk and opening a drawer. I watch curiously as he shuffles through, pulling out a case and opening it up. I smile as Kuroo slides on his own pair of reading glasses- he closes the drawer and sets the case on his desk, coming back over. He slides under the kotatsu beside me, pulling my paperwork to sit between us. He sets his elbow on the table, leaning his chin on his palm as he reads over the question. He then tilts his head, leaning his cheek onto his hand as he flips through my notes. "It looks like you got the right idea in your notes, so what's the problem?" Kuroo says and I feel my face burn as I realize I didn't have an excuse. "Um… ah…" I say, clearing my throat as I lean over and look over the question again. "Oh. Um…" I say as I look at my notes, the words finally making sense now that I wasn't distracted by my thoughts. "I got it now." I say, pulling over my paperwork and writing in the answer, putting a star beside it so I could review it later.

"That's right… so what was troubling you?" Kuroo asks and I move onto the next question, reading over it. "I um… I just couldn't focus…" I admit as I read over the question again, writing in the answer. "Oh? Is something bothering you, Kitten?" Kuroo asks, reaching over and taking my ponytail. He grins as he pulls my hair up to his lips, kissing it softly. "No!" I squeak as I feel like my face was on fire, accidentally making a mark on the paperwork. I scowl as I erase it, continuing to write the answer. "It's not nice to lie to your tutor, Chibi-chan~" Kuroo purrs teasingly, making me pause as I spare him an anxious glance. "It's nothing, just… Um… that woman…" I mumble as I look back at the paperwork, fiddling with my pencil. "That woman?" Kuroo asks and I press my lips together, humming softly. "Is that all? What about her?" Kuroo chuckles softly and I spare him a glance- he was teasing me. "It's nothing…" I mumble as I turn back to the paperwork, writing the rest of the answer. "Okay." Kuroo purrs as I read the next question, though I feel him staring at me. "What?" I ask, knowing full well that he was grinning. "It's nothing." Kuroo teases, making my neck feel hot as I take a deep breath.

"Okay." I grumble, rereading the question as he hums affirmatively. "Absolutely nothing." Kuroo chuckles, though I tighten my grip on my pencil and spare him a stern glare. "Kuroo." I say and he hums affirmatively, though it was more of a teasing hum. "It's nothing." I say, pulling on my headphones and turning back to my paperwork. I read over the question for the third time, but now it just seems jumbled. Kuroo taps the back of my palm and I tilt my jaw to the side as I pull my headphones back down. "Yes, Kuroo?" I ask calmly as he pulls his hand back, turning to look at him. "You know, technically speaking, nothing does not exist. Everything is made up of cells and materials, there is no such thing as absolutely nothing. It is simply the lack of something." Kuroo says matter-in-factly and I raise an eyebrow at him. "Okay... thanks for the lesson, I guess." I mumble, pulling my headphones back on and turning back to my paperwork. I read over the question again, though in my peripheral vision I see Kuroo chuckle and smile widely. He taps my palm again and I feel a tick form on my eyebrow as I turn to him, not bothering to take off my headphones this time.

He looked amused- it wouldn't be so annoying if he didn't look so good in his glasses. I hated to admit it when he was annoying me, but seeing him in glasses was doing something to me. His lips curl into a wide smile as he points at his ear, though I pin him with a glare as I lift one of the sides off my ear. "Yes, Kuroo-Senpai?" I ask calmly, his lips spreading into a wide grin. "Ooh, you're so formal Chibi-chan. Something must be bothering you." Kuroo says and I feel my eye twitch as I offer him a cocky smile. "No, Kuroo-Senpai. It's the lack of something bothering me." I grumble as I set my headphones back in place, turning back to my paperwork. I can tell he's laughing by his trembling body- my headphones were noise cancelling, so I couldn't hear it. Good thing too, if I heard I'd probably get even more upset. Wait, even more? I had no reason to be upset, right? He was teasing me over nothing. Kuroo taps the back of my palm and I take a deep breath, setting my pencil down. I slowly blow out the breath to calm down as I pull my headphones down to my neck, turning to Kuroo. "Yes, Kuroo?" I say, seeing his mouth curled in a toothy grin and his eyes filled with amusement.

"So, what's bothering you?" Kuroo asks and I feel my eye twitch more as I offer him a frustrated smile. "I have no clue what you're talking about." I say, my voice sounding irritated as he chuckles softly. "Oh, but you just admitted that the lack of something was bothering you." Kuroo teases and I open my mouth to retort, but I pause when I realize he was right. "Oh my god- Tetsuro Kuroo, nothing is bothering me." I groan as I put my headphones back on, picking up my pencil as I turn back to my paperwork. My blood boils as I read over the question one more time, glaring at the paperwork as I unconsciously pout. Kuroo taps the back of my palm again and I tighten my grip on my pencil, causing it to snap. I groan as I open my hand, letting the broken pencil fall as I yank my headphones off as I turn to Kuroo. "What?! It's nothing! I've told you that!" I say as I pin him with a glare, his lip twitching. "I'm not letting it go. What about 'that woman' is bothering you?" Kuroo asks and I take a deep breath, scrubbing a hand over my face. "Kuroo, it is nothing!" I protest and he grins, shaking his head. "Nope, it's not. Might as well tell me." Kuroo says and I groan, closing my eyes.

"What is there to even tell?!" I ask as I throw my hand up in frustration, turning to face him. "Oh, I don't know. Tell me what's bothering you." Kuroo says and I scrunch up my nose, crossing my arms. "It… is… nothing." I say and Kuroo hums, raising an eyebrow at me- he didn't believe it. Quite frankly, I didn't know if I did either- I just didn't know what it was that was bothering me. I take a deep breath and rub the bridge of my nose, shaking my head before I look back up at him. "I don't know, okay? It's just… she's so tall and beautiful, she's so confident…" I say as I drop my gaze, my hands sliding into my lap as I fiddle with my fingers. "And… you said I love you so easily to each other. You even kissed…" I mumble softly, though I hear Kuroo's breath catch as he stares at me. "I do love her." Kuroo says and I feel like my heart got crushed, pressing my lips together as I fight my tears. "But I love you, too." Kuroo says and I jerk my head back, looking at him with wide eyes- I was surprised. He smiles sweetly at me with soft eyes, reaching over and sliding his hand into my hair. "But, you…" I mumble as he pulls my ponytail to his nose, taking a deep breath and grinning at me.

I open my mouth before I close it, not knowing what to say as I drop my gaze, my face burning. "I… Um… is… is there something… between you?" I ask as Kuroo plays lightly with my hair. "There is." Kuroo chuckles and I close my eyes as my chest hurts again. "Then… then we can't do anything anymore! You can't love me, Kuroo!" I protest, moving to stand so I can leave. "Oh, but I can and I will." Kuroo says as he tugs me down so I straddle his lap. I feel my face burn as I jerk my head up to look at him, my eyes wide as I make a flustered face. "Kuroo, no!" I squeak as he smiles, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Kuroo, yes. I love you, Kimiko. I can and will love you for a long time." Kuroo says and I feel blistering heat take over my body, millions of butterflies taking flight in my blood. "B-but you love her!" I stutter, my face feeling like it was on fire as my heart pounds in my chest. "I do love her. I'll love her for a long time, too." Kuroo says and I feel tears gather in my eyes as my chest aches a lot. "Kuroo, I can't- I can't be a homewrecker! I can't do it, I'm sorry! Please!" I beg as I feel my body trembling with sadness. "You aren't." Kuroo says and I feel surprised again.

"Kuroo- stop lying to me! This isn't a joke, okay! I- I can't… it hurts… it hurts so much, Kuroo…" I sob as I crumble in his embrace, though he shushes me as he holds me tight. "But I'm not lying, Kitten. I do love you, I can and will love you for a long time. I've loved you ever since I first laid my eyes on you, I love you with every cell in my body. We have something here that I could never replicate." Kuroo says and I sob hysterically at the mix of emotions crashing through me. "I love her too, I've loved her since I was born and I'll love her until I die. I love her with every cell of my body and she is irreplaceable to me." Kuroo says and I try to push him away as my heart feels like it's torn apart. "Then choose her, I can't Kuroo, I can't!" I wail as I try desperately to push myself away from him. "No, Kimiko. My love for you is more than it will ever be for her. There's no comparison, our love is on a whole other level than my love for her. I'm not lying and it's not a joke." Kuroo says and I go limp in his arms as I cling desperately to his shirt, curling in his hot embrace. "Kuroo… Kuroo…" I sob as I feel my heart breaking, though it's also mixed with extreme happiness and immeasurable guilt.

Kuroo pulls my chin up and captures my lips in a soft kiss, my body lighting up with his comforting heat as I feel tears sliding down my cheeks. I fall silent as I feel my body aching, though he pulls me flush against him as my face curls in anguish. "She's my sister, Kitten. Of course I love her. But I love, love you." Kuroo whispers against my lips, staring into my eyes as his words process in my head. It takes a moment for it to click in my head- at first I feel surprised, realizing that he had a sister, that it was that woman. Then I feel relief, letting out a shuddering breath as I make a relieved face. I feel happy- I don't know why, but I realize that Kuroo told me he loved me and I felt a rush of giddiness, bubbly, my heart racing as a wave of adrenaline rushed through me. I feel so happy- I feel ecstatic, I feel- I feel so alive. I bury my hands into his hair as I pull him into another kiss, unable to help or stop myself. I press myself as close to him as I could, burying my body into his as I slide my tongue into his mouth. Our tongues tangle in a passionate dance, my arms cradling his head as I tilt my head. It felt like I couldn't get close enough to him, I wanted more- I wanted so much more.

Then I feel mad- I don't know why but I shove him away as I grab onto his chest, trying to shake him though I end up shaking myself. "Kuroo, you- you! You're so mean! I- oh, I just- I'm so-" I groan though his lips crash into mine as he pulls me tight, our tongues tangling in another passionate dance. I moan softly, closing my eyes as I feel my anger dissipate in his heat. He holds me as close as he can, one of his hands tangling in my ponytail as his other pulls my torso to press into his. I feel a lump form in my throat as I relax my grip on his chest, melting into him. He groans in disappointment as his hand slides down to my ass, pulling me flush against his throbbing erection. Just like that it feels like a fire is lit between us, between my legs feeling like molten lava with a desperate aching core. I grind into him and we both moan/groan into the kiss, my body feeling so hot as I feel like I can't breathe. "Fuck… I want you, so bad…" Kuroo mumbles against my lips, barely parting our kiss as I whimper desperately. "God, I want you so fucking bad..." Kuroo groans as he pulls away, making a pained face as he looks at me with anguish. "Kuroo, I need you!" I whine and he groans, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Oh Baby Girl, I want to. I want to so fucking bad, you don't even know. I fucking need you, I need you so fucking bad right now." Kuroo snarls, making a layer of goosebumps break out over my skin as I moan helplessly. "Take me, please!" I whine looking up at him and letting him see all of the aching heat within. "Ohh, I want to so fucking bad, Kitten. I can't- I can't, I can't do it. I couldn't hold back and the doctor ordered-" Kuroo groans, sounding extremely pained as I wail softly. "Please! Please, Daddy!" I cry and Kuroo pushes me down to the ground, his eyes filled with agony. "I can't! I can't, Baby Girl. I can't give you all of me, but…" Kuroo says as his hands drop down, unbuttoning my jeans. I suck in a sharp breath as his lips slam into mine, his hand sliding into my jeans. I cry out when his fingers find my molten heat, a low groan escaping him as his fingers slowly circle my aching bud. I writhed under him as my head spins with pleasure and my body trembles at his touch. I make all sorts of animalistic noises as I cling to him, though he slides between my legs as he drops down, pinning me under him. I wail in need as I drag my hands under his shirt, clawing desperately at his back.

Kuroo groans loudly as I press my head back into the futon and cry in disappointment, digging my nails into his back. "Fuuuck…" Kuroo groans throatily as his head drops down to my neck, his fingers keeping that same torturously slow pace on my aching bud. "Kuroo, Kuroo please! Please! Oh Daddy, daddy please; I'll do anything, please daddy!" I beg helplessly as I try to rock my hips against him, though he had me tightly pinned under him. "Oh, Kitten… oh, you are so evil… you are so fucking evil…" Kuroo breathes out in a pained sounding voice, his breath hot and heavy on my neck. I whine as I feel the pleasure slowly gather in my core, gathering in a knot. "T-Tetsu… ro…" I choke out as my body stiffens, small whimpers escaping me as he holds his breath. A wave of bliss washes over my body and I let out a shuddering breath, shivering under him as my head feels like it's floating in the clouds. I pant for air as I turn to goo under him, my vision spinning as he pulls out of my neck, looking at me. My eyes were barely open, my breath coming in shallow pants as he groans softly. He kisses me softly as he slowly pulls his hand out of my pants. He pulls away, sitting up and running a hand through his hair.

He just stares at me as I just tremble, catching my breath as my body slowly comes down from my high. I close my eyes as I pant softly, my head lolling to the side as I feel my body go limp. "You okay?" Kuroo asks softly and I hum, lazily blinking my eyes open. "Stay awake for me, Kitten." Kuroo says and I hum, staring at his ceiling as I drag my legs up. They were shaking, my whole body feeling like goo as I just lay on the ground. "I love you." Kuroo says, my cheeks burning as I press my lips together. They curl into a trembling smile as I look at him, though he looks really happy too. There was a strange look in his soft eyes, one I had seen many times before- it suddenly clicks in my head that he was looking at me with love. All those times, those looks- they were looks of love. I suddenly feel so full, like my life was complete as I just stare into those loving eyes. "I wonder…" I whisper softly, my eyes wondering back to Arthur and Ray's words- had Ray seen me look at someone that same way? If I looked at someone like that, would they feel the same way I did right now? Was what I was feeling right now some form of love? If so, was I looking at Kuroo with that same look?

I walked up the stairs, my hands tucked into my pockets and my chin burrowed in my scarf. It was chilly enough to see your own breath, but not enough to snow. It probably wasn't the best idea to wear a skirt in this weather, but I wore a long white cotton dress, one that was snug around my torso and flowing around my ankles. I wore a buttoned up jean jacket and a white scarf, all paired with a pair of white tennis shoes. It was pretty crowded, but Asahi, Suga and Daichi were meeting me at the shrine as their reward for capturing me at the Christmas party. I had arrived 10 minutes early since some people asked me to get them good luck amulets, hoping to get them before the boys arrived. I glance around, my eyes landing on a familiar tall figure with a man bun, making my way over. "Ah, hey, did I get the meeting time wrong?" I ask, noticing all three of the boys were waiting together. "Nope, not at all." The boys all say, all of us bowing to each other. "Happy new year." We say together, heading towards the shrine and praying together. It was four days until the spring interhigh, the boys seeming jittery- one of the reasons I could never be competitive was the jitters and nervousness.

"Let's go pull those O-Mikuji." Suga chimes as he points over to the station. "Let's do this, it's been years since I've done that." Daichi says as the three of us head over to the booths. "Someone asked me to buy some good luck amulets, so I'll be back." I say as I walk over to the booth, purchasing a few before I head back to the boys. Asahi seemed really jittery- even Daichi seemed off and Suga seemed a bit stiff- was there anything I could do to help? I arrive, noticing two guys with drinks in hand approaching, one pointing to me. I turned to the three boys, though it seems they noticed the three boys had seen them as well, giving them a stern look. "Azume, did you draw your O-Mikuji?" I ask, though he uncurls his own- revealing a curse. "You can't be serious!" Suga and Daichi laugh, though I can't help but giggle. "You sure know how to pick them!" Daichi laughs, Asahi scowling. "Focus on the silver lining here, you could have gotten the great curse and be even more worse off than you are now. If you look at it that way, you got really lucky!" Suga says, making me giggle even more. "It's kinda like being 11th place in the daily horoscope readings." I say, Suga bursting out in laughter.

"Even if he ended up 12th, that's only one placement off so it's the same thing anyway!" Suga laughs, making me smile as Asahi looks distraught. "Will you give it a rest already? Well, what did you two pull?" Asahi asks, though I walk over and pick one out. "Ending blessings." Suga and Daichi say at the same time, though I walk back over. "Oh yeah, well you guys have an even weirder one than mine!" Asahi protests and I pat his shoulder, offering him a smile. "Well, no matter what you won't be alone, Azu-Senpai." I say and his cheeks blossom red as a light smile forms on his face. "That… that makes me feel a bit better. Thank you, Suzuki-chan." Asahi says, rubbing the back of his neck as I open my O-Mikuji. "What did you get?" Suga says, peeking over and looking at my fortune. "Um… a half blessing." I say as I run my eyes over the fortune, raising an eyebrow. "It says that I will win my lawsuit, but not to get carried away and want more." I hum softly, dragging my eyes lower and snorting. "Apparently my engagement will go quite well, but be careful." I say, my lips twitching into a smile. "My lost item will be found…" I mumble as I drop my gaze lower again, pausing as I tilt my head.

"What is it?" Suga asks as I read the line again, furrowing my eyebrows. In residence it says that it's a good time to move and a good time to travel- I move my gaze down once more. "Love… things will go your way even if you ask for more now, but you should stay sincere if you think about the future… health, you must remain cautious even if things seem to be improving… the person you are waiting for may have difficulty finding you." I mumble before I tuck the fortune away to my bag. "Well, that sounds pretty good. Sounds like you should just be cautious." Daichi says as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. "Cautious is my middle name. Unfortunately, trouble just has its own way of finding me." I say, the boys chuckling as we make our way down the stairs. "When you do these shrine visits, instead of making a wish to the gods, you'd be better off expressing your gratitude instead, right?" Daichi says, though Asahi tenses up. "Huh? You shoulda said so earlier, I made a pretty crazy wish back there… I wished for luck in everything ranging from our volleyball matches to future life events." Asahi says though I pause, looking at the boys.

"Not to mention I also threw in a wish for the old dog living next door to get in better health!" Asahi says though I look down. "You aren't going to win any games just because you prayed to the gods for it." I say, all the boys freezing in place and tensing up. "Oh, Kimiko..." Daichi says as they all look at me, Asahi trembling, Daichi sweating and Suga seeming a bit put off. "Did she really just say that? You're actually gonna say that to us, now??" Suga asks, fully turning around. "It's going to be alright. Even if the gods aren't in your favor, you've got nothing to worry about. You all have trained hard for this, you're strong- and most importantly, you're not alone. If all else fails, you have each other, right? I'll be cheering you on with everything I got." I say, the boys' eyes widening as they look surprised. They all turn away from me before Asahi suddenly crouches down, all of them pumping their fists in excitement and making me smile. We all chat idly as we walk back down the stairs, the boys seeming more relaxed and upbeat. We parted ways after a while and I headed to the school, knowing that I needed to meet up with the others so I could give them their good luck amulets.

"Hey, Suzuki-chan!" Someone calls and I glance back, seeing Ryu running over with a big smile on his face. "Hey, Tana-kun. Happy New year." I say, bowing my head to him as he bows deeply to me. "Happy new year! Where are you going? Can I tag along?" Tanaka asks and I offer him a smile as I nod. "I'm heading to the school to give these good luck amulets to some acquaintances. You can feel free to tag along if you like." I chime, Ryu smiling widely at me as he shoves his hands in his pants pockets. "Sounds better than dealing with my drunk sister!" He laughs and I reach over, patting his shoulder. "I'm glad to have you as company, Tana-kun." I say as he offers me a big cheesy smile. "Aren't you cold?" Ryu asks and I shrug lightly, looking ahead. "It is chilly, but I like the cold." I say, though Ryu takes off his jacket and puts it over my shoulders. "It'd be bad if you caught a cold, you should have worn warmer clothes." Ryu says and I frown, moving to take his jacket off. "It'd be bad if you caught a cold too, Tana-kun. I'm fine." I say, though he slings his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into his side and smiling. "It's fine if it's like this." Ryu says and I relent, walking beside him- he was warm.

"Tana-kun, can I ask you a question?" I ask softly and he hums, nodding his head. "Have you ever been in love?" I ask and he laughs boisterously, nodding his head. "Oh yeah, I mean, I'm pretty sure it's obvious but I'm in love with Kiyoko-san!" Ryu says and I hum, looking up at him. "Etto, then why join the competition?" I ask and he shrugs, a faint smile on his face. "It seemed like fun and it is! I wanted to be your friend, plus I'm part of the official Suzuki protection squad! If Kiyoko-san asked, I'd drop out in a heartbeat! I'm pretty sure she doesn't care, though. I mean, the first time I saw her I proposed to her." Ryu admits, making me laugh as I smile up at him. "Really?" I ask and he grins down at me, nodding his head. "Oh yeah, I knew as soon as I saw her that I wanted her to be my wife, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." Ryu says and I can't help the smile that spreads over my face. "I haven't been making much progress though, so I was kind of hoping that the competition would help somehow." Ryu says and I hum, tucking my hands into my pockets. "I don't think it will help at all." I admit and he hums, looking over at me curiously.

"You're in love with Kiyoko-san, right? Your love for her has to be what reaches her, being in such a silly competition wouldn't help with that. I think that if you're truly in love and want to spend your life with her, you should devote your life to her and her alone. Always be honest and true, never hide your love… it will reach her someday. Sure, it might take a push or two but… it'll be worth it in the end, right?" I ask, Ryu's eyes sparkling as he looks ahead. "You know what… I think you're right." Ryu says, a faint smile curling on his face. "But I don't want to be the first to drop out of the competition, a man has his pride." Ryu admits and I can't help but laugh. "You wouldn't be the first, actually. A couple people have dropped out." I say and Ryu raises an eyebrow at me. "Really, now?" He asks and I nod, offering him a smile. "Yeah, two people have dropped out. I can't tell you who or why, though." I say and Ryu hums, looking ahead. "I don't know much about love but… I think Kiyoko-san is a really nice person, though she seems to struggle with her confidence." I say and Ryu seems surprised, looking at me. "Kiyoko-san, not confident?" Ryu says and I nod, looking ahead.

"I mean, I don't really know her that well but… it seems as if she isn't a very talkative person. I noticed that she's been sort of shy other than with Hitoka-chan, so I figured she isn't very confident or outgoing herself. I think she does kind of admire you for your outgoing personality, though." I say, Ryu's eyes widening as he looks ahead also. "When you love someone who's not confident in themselves, it's important to make sure they see that you truly appreciate them. I mean, I know that I'm insecure and I can get down myself… but when someone comforted me, it felt really nice." I admit, Ryu slowly nods as he drops his gaze. "If I'm honest, there are times that I feel down. I have moments where I doubt myself, where I look ahead and see that I've still got a long road ahead of me. I look back and see how little progress I've made… and it gets me down." Ryu says softly and I look up at him, thinking about what he said. "You know, before the competition… I wasn't living. I was just not dying; it's weird to think that since the competition I've made such progress. Sure, there's been ups and downs, struggle after struggle and just… so much has changed." I say as I see the school in the distance.

"But I'm also really thankful, even though it's hard and it can be scary or tiring sometimes… I'm really happy that I took these steps. I'm glad I've met you all, you all helped me become the person I am today- especially you, Tana-kun. You saved me from the man- if you hadn't been there, if you hadn't stopped him… I would probably not be here. I will always be thankful for that, I am truly in your debt." I say as Ryu looked at me and offered me a sheepish smile. "That's why I can say with confidence that you shouldn't give up. Running away, giving up, thinking that you don't have a chance… you're just caging yourself in your insecurities. You're not always going to be strong, you're not always going to win, it's not always going to be easy but… the reward is worth it, isn't it? Kiyoko-san is worth that, isn't she? This competition… it's not the right thing to make things work with her. Your battle is different, but… I want to help you if I can. I may not know much about love, but I know about relationships." I say, Ryu stopping in his tracks and pulling me into a tight hug. "Wow… those words, Suzuki-chan…" Ryu mumbles as he squeezes me tight.

"Of course they aren't only for that! They go for everything that they might suit. You're a really good guy, Tana-kun. I admire you, I think you're really cool and confident. I think you would make a wonderful husband for Kiyoko-san, one that can draw out her confidence and help her become a person she can be proud of one day." I say, Ryu holding me tighter as he buries his head into my neck. "Thank you. I… I think I needed to hear that. If it's alright, I think I'll take your advice and drop out of the competition and focus my efforts on Kiyoko-san." Ryu says and I smile, patting his back. "I'll be here to help and root you on, if you need advice I'll do my best." I say and Ryu pulls back, offering me a big cheesy smile. "Thanks, Suzuki-chan. You're a great friend." Ryu says, pulling me to keep walking to the school. "So, what do you think I should do?" Ryu asks and I can't help but smile. "Well, I think you already do a lot for her. You compliment her, you appreciate her, you give her all the love and devotion… it might not seem like a lot to you, in fact it might seem like it's not enough but… it means a lot to her. Just keep at it, one day she'll know." I say, Ryu nodding as he looks ahead.

"You've got a long road ahead of you, but true love has never been easy. It's earned." I say, Ryu nodding as he smiles widely. "It's earned… I like that. I'm going to earn Kiyoko-san's love." Ryu says, pumping his fist and making me giggle as he cheers excitedly. "By the way, why did you ask, Suzuki-chan?" Ryu asks and I hum, looking down. "To be honest… as I said, I don't know much about love. I… I think I'm in love, love love. I'm not sure, though. It's all so complicated and confusing, I… I have no clue what to do." I admit, Ryu humming as he strokes his chin. "If it were me, I'd charge in and yell it at the top of my lungs, there's no need to hide your love. But… Hm. This is you… I think it's best if you just let your heart do the talking. What does your heart say? What do you want to tell them more than anything? What do you like most about them? You said you get insecure sometimes but… you should take your advice, too. If you were someone looking at your situation, what would you tell them? What advice would you give?" Ryu says and I hum, thinking about what he says. We arrive at the school and I give him his jacket before we part ways, me heading to give people their good luck amulets.