limerence + various

through the years : kk

he's always been one step ahead.

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kenma is six years old when he moves in next door. there's an oddly combed mess of hair atop his head and his eyes remind him of cats, the hazel color strikingly resembling the one that lives with kenma. he doesn't look like anyone he's ever seen before.

his hot breath fogs up the window he stares out of, watching as this strange boy trudges into the previously vacant house next door, volleyball tucked tightly under his right arm and a backpack tugging on his back. he's wearing black athletic shorts and a red t-shirt, with some writing that kenma can't quite make out.

he jumps when his mother gently taps his shoulder. "stop staring, would you? come on, i'm bringing them a welcome gift," she says with a smile, a foot already out the door. kenma can only absentmindedly nod, reaching out for his handheld gaming console to take with him, you know, in case he were to become bored.

they are met with a jungle of boxes when a tired looking woman opens the door, a smile splitting her exhausted face, dotted in sweat. "come in, come in!" she coaxes, waving her arm. kenma stays close behind his mother as she steps in.

"i've never seen the inside of this place, it truly is lovely! ah, what am i doing? i've brought you a dish," kenma's mother chatters, thrusting a dish with tinfoil carefully wrapped over the top.

as the mothers continued their motherly talk, kenma guides himself to the plush looking suede couch and sits with a huff, pulling out his gaming console and rapidly tapping. "kenma, dear?" kenma raises his head reluctantly. "why don't you go meet tetsurou? i believe he is in his room," the woman says with a smile. kenma decides the strange looking boy must be tetsurou, and decides that he really doesn't want to meet him. he's fine without him.

yet his legs move and navigate down the hallway to a closed door, a strange thumping noise coming from inside. kenma gulps, nervousness beginning to settle as he knocks on the door.

not many seconds later, that bed-head styled hair is right in front of him and those sleepy hazel eyes are looking down on him. "hello," he says to kenma as if he is a lost kitten. "and where did you come from?"

eloquent, kenma thinks, having heard his mother use the word many a time. "next door," kenma says in reply, watching the somewhat surprised look on the boy's face turn to realization.

"were you the little one staring through the window?" kenma bristles.

"you're not much taller than me," he observes aloud, watching tetsurou's eyes go wide and his shoulders shake with laughter.

he steps aside. "come in," he says, and kenma does. the walls are a barren beige, a volleyball is the only thing on the bed and the closet is empty save for a box kenma assumes is full of clothes. "what's your name?" he asks.

"kozume kenma," he shoots back, briefly looking down. "yours?"

"kuroo tetsurou. nice to meet you, kenma. we're gonna be good friends!" he cries. "do you like volleyball?" he asks expectantly, fire alight in his eyes.

kenma pieces things together with a silent oh. this would explain the thumping noise — a volleyball being thrown in the air again and again. the red shirt — which kenma can now see says "volleyball rules!".