Chapter 24: Arthur's sleepovers
"What do you think it'd be?" Bokuto asks the group, all of them gathered around and playing games in 5 groups of 4. I was in the kitchen, making apple pie as I hum softly. "I think he'd say 'soy groot', and it'd be spanish." I chime and Bokuto hums, itching his chin. "That'd make sense I guess, though a little disappointing." Bokuto says, making me giggle as I pull the pie crust from the oven, setting it aside to cool. "Why don't we just watch the movie in spanish? That way we can see, I have it." I say and Bokuto gasps, clapping his hands excitedly. "You're so smart, Teddy Bear! Why didn't I think of that?" Bokuto says, making me laugh as I wipe my hands, making my way over to the TV. "Your spanish still good, Akira?" I ask and he scrambles over to the TV as I slide the guardians of the galaxy disc in. "Yeah! How could I forget when you drilled it into me?" He laughs and I press play, heading back to the kitchen. "Then I'll leave the translation to you." I say, heading back to the kitchen to finish making the pie filling. Ryu, Noya, Tobio and Shoyo join him in front of the TV, watching the movie and chatting. "Hey! We should have a sleepover!" Akira says excitedly and my mom laughs, shaking her head.
"Sweetie, we don't have room for all these boys." My mom says, gesturing to the group though Arthur clears his throat. "But I do! We could go to my house. I'll have the butler's prepare everything for us." Arthur chimes, Akira squealing excitedly, turning to Arthur with a big beaming smile. "Whoa! Hold your horses cowboy, it's not that easy! Arthur, you haven't even asked your parents if they're okay with that!" I protest, though Arthur grins widely at me. "Oh puhlease, they're never home anyway! It gets so boring, having a sleepover will make it interesting! Besides, who can deny the pool, the game room, the theater room-" Arthur says, beginning to count off on his fingers. "I want to go! That sounds so cool!" Shoyo says, Tobio looking twinkly in his eyes as he nods. "I think it'd be fun." Daichi says, grinning at the others. "Well, you'll have to let your parents know, and I'll need your clothes sizes so I can get everything prepared." Arthur says and I blow out a breath as my mother laughs. "I swear Arthur, you're just like your father when he was your age! You always go all out on such things, never holding back!" My mom laughs, flashing him a big smile as he smiles widely at her.
An hour later we arrived at the huge mansion, everyone staring in amazement. "Come on! Let's go!" Arthur cheers, guiding the excited stampede inside of the mansion. I laugh at their excitement, holding Gizmo's leash as I make my way over on my crutches. My mom hung back with me, a big smile on her face as she watched them all rushing inside. "They all seem like really good boys." My mom chimes and I smile at her, butlers holding the door open for us before he goes to unpack the things from the cars. "Yeah, they make things lively." I say, feeling tired as I make my way to the living room. "Arthur, I think I'm going to bed early." I chime, my mom taking Gizmo and bringing him in. "Alright, you got your usual room. I'll have the maid bring you your sleep wear." Arthur says, not even looking at me and waving me off. "Okay. Goodnight, everyone. I'll see you tomorrow, sweet dreams." I say, everyone replying with an assortment of goodbyes. "Iwai, you'll be staying in her room tonight since you won the challenge." Aima chirps as butlers bring in drinks and light snacks. "Okay." Iwai mumbles, feeling a little tingle of excitement at the thought of sharing a bed with Kimiko.
I should've known better than to trust them when they said we didn't need to bring any clothes. I really should have, especially since Arthur and Aima now knew each other. I walked over to the bed, seeing the sheer white robe, slip and panties. The robe was translucent, beautiful- I touched it and was the softest thing I ever felt. I sigh, dropping the fluffy towel and sliding the set on. I was too tired to even fight them at this point. I crawled onto the bed, rolling onto my back and laying my arm over my face, sprawling over the soft bed. Honestly, what was I thinking? I was honestly just so tired from such a long and eventful day, and this bed was super comfy- but cold. It was so quiet in this room, unlike the bustling of the other room. We had decided to tell my mom and Akira about the man coming tomorrow after breakfast. I wasn't so anxious about it now that I knew everyone was going to be there supporting me, but Yuki suddenly appearing had thrown me a curve ball. It wasn't that I hated him or anything, but- the door to my room opened and I glanced over, seeing Iwai stepping in. "Oh, hello Iwai-Senpai." I say, his eyes finding me before he suddenly freezes, staring at me with wide eyes.
"Uh…" he mumbles as I slowly sit up, raising an eyebrow at him. "Are you alright? Did you get lost?" I ask, though he drops his gaze, clearing his throat. "No, um, the jar- I'll be sharing your room tonight." Iwai says, closing the door as his face and neck turn red. "Ah! I'm glad you'll be keeping me company then!" I chime, offering him a sweet smile as he avoids looking at me, itching the back of his neck. "Um, do you want me to take the couch?" He asks though I furrow my eyebrows, patting the bed softly. "There's room enough for both of us, silly." I giggle and he finally looks up at me, seeming hesitant. "I don't know if that's a good idea, considering what you're wearing…" he mumbles and I purse my lips, looking down at my outfit. "Does it make you uncomfortable? If you want I can have you stay the night some other time. Arthur and Aima must've planned this." I admit though Iwai clears his throat again. "It doesn't make me uncomfortable per say, it's just that… you look very nice in it, it's… quite arousing." Iwai mumbles, dropping his gaze again and I feel a little thrill knowing he was shy. "Oh, I see. Do you want to stay?" I ask and he nods, looking back up at me.
"Then stay. Do you want to sleep in the bed with me?" I ask and he nods, fidgeting lightly. "Then sleep in the bed with me." I say and he slowly nods, itching the back of his neck. "I'm going to take a shower then." He says, heading to the bathroom and leaving me alone. I lay back on the bed, listening to the steady pitter patter of the water as I stare at the ceiling. I felt strange, kind of numb and blank- all of the excitement must've really tired me out. A soft knock sounds on the door and a maid shuffles in, setting a pair of silk pajamas down on the bed. "Thank you." I say and she bows, leaving without another word. The water stops and I close my eyes, listening quietly as I hear Iwai come out of the bathroom. "The maid brought you your pajamas." I say, pointing down at the stack of clothes, hearing him shuffle over. "These are really nice." Iwai mumbles, mostly to himself though I feel my lips twitch. "Nothing less for Arthur. If the thread count isn't in the thousands he doesn't even want to look at it." I joke lightly, Iwai chuckling as I hear him slide the set on. He rounds the bed and climbs on, laying down on his back. I slowly reach over, holding his hand which he gently squeezes.
I woke up the next morning, curled around Iwai's head, his arms wrapped around my waist. I slowly sit up, blinking the sleep away and gently kissing Iwai's head. He pulls away from me, rolling over and curling up. I smile lightly, slipping off the bed and going to brush my teeth. It was still pretty early, in fact it wasn't even breaking 4:00 A.M. yet. I headed out to the living room, the house quiet though there were maids and butlers dusting and wandering around. I enter the living room, seeing my mother curled up on one of the chairs, a book in her hands and a cup of coffee set to the side. "Good morning sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" She asks when she sees me coming in and I nod, not really feel like talking. "One of those days, huh?" She asks and I shrug, though she gives me a knowing smile. "The piano is right there. Play me a song?" She asks, pointing to the grand piano in the corner of the room. I make my way over, brushing my fingers over it before I prop it open, sitting down on the bench. I slide my fingers into the keys, pressing down on the keys, the piano humming through the room. I move my hands over, playing Ludovico Einaudi, my mom closing her eyes to listen.
She leans her head back against the chair and I close my eyes, rocking my body gently as I play the song perfectly. My fingers dance over the keys, fast, slow, harmonizing, taking, giving, intense and soft- but never fully stopping. It was a beautiful song, one of my mother's favorites and one that always helped me relax. We sat quietly, letting the piano fill the silence, echoing throughout the room, whispering through the house. The boys all woke to the sound of a piano playing a beautiful song, sliding out of bed and heading to the source. The crowd gathered at the door of the living room, watching as Kimiko played. She was wearing a beautiful white nightgown and slip, her fingers ghosting over the piano, music enchanting the room. She looked absolutely stunning, the light shining from the window, casting her shadow over the ground as she slowly rocked back and forth, her eyes closed. Her mother sat with a smile on her face in the chair, eyes closed as she tapped her fingers idly on the book she held, almost like she was playing with her daughter. The song ended, the room falling completely silent as Kimiko slowly opened her eyes, looking at her mother.
"The man is back." I whisper and my mom tenses, slowly opening her eyes and looking at me. "He's been back for a while now, but… I want to stay. I want to fight, I don't want to run; Kanori and Kioshi both know… He came for me, he knows about Nen and he tried to… I fought back, he was arrested. Kioshi has been working the case, I… I think I can handle this, mom. With my friends, with everyone… I think we can all get through this." I say softly and she searches my eyes- I can't help it, she's my mother- I can't hide my fear, my insecurities. "I'm scared, I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but I want to make it work. I do, I want to make it so we don't have to be scared anymore." I say and she slowly draws her eyes away from me, looking at the wall of books. "It's not going to be easy." She whispers and I can't help but laugh softly, dropping my eyes down to the piano. "I know." I whisper solemnly, my fingers finding the keys again. "But the risk is worth the reward, don't you think? Besides, we're not going to be alone anymore. We have everyone to support us." I say, beginning to play Spring Waltz by Chopin. My mother's face curls into a smile as she slowly relaxes.
"I'll trust you, sweetie." She says, closing her eyes and tapping lightly on her book. "I'm proud of you for being strong. You have always been so, so strong. The strongest of us all, just like your father. You remind me so much of him, in everything that you do. You take it all in stride, never complaining, you just keep moving no matter what. You and your brother both; you have his heart, his pride, his strength. Not to mention his good looks." My mom laughs softly and I feel tears gathering in my eyes, knowing she was hurting. "He loved us all, mom. He did what he did because he didn't want us to see him suffer." I whisper, tears dropping from my eyes and onto my nightgown. "I know." She sniffs, a tear dropping from her eye as well. "I know he was sick, that he went out his way, but he will always have my heart. He is the father of my two beautiful children, the one who made sure we were always taken care of. He is the one who gave up his life for me, more than once." She says, her voice trembling as more tears drop from her eyes. "Our love can never be matched, and he will always… always be in my heart." She sobs and I pull away from the piano, walking over to her.
"It was many and many a year ago, in a kingdom by the sea, that a maiden there lived whom you may know by the name of Annabel Lee; and this maiden she lived with no other thought than to love and be loved by me." I say softly, sitting in front of my mother and taking the book from her lap. "I was a child and she was a child, in this kingdom by the sea, but we loved with a love that was more than love- I and my Annabel Lee- With a love that the wingèd seraphs of Heaven coveted her and me." My mother says softly as I hug her around her waist. "And this was the reason that, long ago, in this kingdom by the sea, a wind blew out of a cloud, chilling my beautiful Annabel Lee; so that her highborn kinsmen came and bore her away from me, to shut her up in a sepulchre in this kingdom by the sea." I say, her hands slowly brushing through my hair. "The angels, not half so happy in Heaven, went envying her and me- Yes- that was the reason, as all men know, in this kingdom by the sea, that the wind came out of the cloud by night, chilling and killing my Annabel Lee." My mother says somberly, her voice barely a trembling whisper as I gently stroke her back.
"But our love it was stronger by far than the love, of those who were older than we- of many far wiser than we- and neither the angels in Heaven above, nor the demons down under the sea, can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee; For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams of the beautiful Annabel Lee; and the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes of the beautiful Annabel Lee; and so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side of my darling-my darling-my life and my bride, in her sepulchre there by the sea- in her tomb by the sounding sea." I finish for her, her body racking with sobs as she cries her pain. "I'm so lonely without him, it's been so long! But I just can't let go, it hurts so much!" She cries, tears gathering in my eyes as I cry with her. "I know that no one can ever replace dad, I know that. But nothing can bring him back, either. You don't have to let go, no one is expecting you to. I can't imagine what it was like, losing him when you loved him so much- he was my father and it tore me apart, but to be even closer than that…" I say, my voice trembling as my mother just cried. I held her, gently stroking her back as we both cried together.
When our sobs finally silenced and we just sat in each other's comfort, I looked up at my mom. "You don't have to be alone. I know you're tired, mom. I know you're lonely. I know it hurts, and you can't let go. But… if you find someone who soothes that pain even a little, you should give them a chance. I don't want you to hurt forever, and I'm sure Akira and I could accept anyone if they truly make you happy." I whisper and she chokes out a laugh, her lip trembling. "I'm not sure that day will ever come, sweetie." She says, wiping her eyes as I slowly pull away from her. "Nor do I. But if it does… it's okay." I say and she hesitantly nods, giving me a watery smile. "Do you like someone, sweetie?" She asks and I slowly walk over to the piano, closing it softly. "I… I don't know. It's weird…" I whisper, running my fingers over the piano. "How so?" She asks and I hum, looking out the window. "They're all so different, the boys. Some light me on fire, some calm me down. Some make my heart flutter, I can't stop laughing with some." I whisper softly, noticing the door was cracked. "Some like to eavesdrop, apparently." I chime, hearing scrambling on the other side of the door, making me laugh.
"Come on, please! Arthur told me you could, I wanna see!" Akira begs as I walk back to the living room, now dressed in a black leather tights, a gray shirt and a black leather jacket. My legs were fine now, so I didn't need my crutches to get around. "Arthur, what did you tell Akira last night?" I ask, walking over and smacking the back of his head. "Ow! Jeez, he was curious when he heard you could drive!" Arthur says, rubbing the back of his head and scowling. "So you decided to tell him all about how I used to drift all over the highways and backroads?" I ask as Arthur scowls, turning to glare at me. "What? Are you embarrassed of that? You were good at it, no one ever got hurt and we never got caught!" Arthur complains as my mother raises an eyebrow at me. "But why tell Akira? Now he wants me to show him!" I protest and Arthur rolls his eyes, waving his hand at me. "So take the keys and take him for a ride! I have your old favorite here anyway, might as well." Arthur says, turning back to his game with the others. "See! Arthur said we could! Come on, please?" Akira begs and I sigh, dragging a hand down my face. "Convince mom." I say, raising an eyebrow at him as he squeals.
"Mom! Mom, can Kimiko take me for a ride? We'll be safe!" Akira says and I roll my eyes, ruffling his hair. "No, no we won't be. He wants me to take him speeding and spinning around." I say, my mom laughing as she raises an eyebrow at Akira. "Oh, darling, I don't think you could handle that. Your sisters got lead foot." My mom says, grinning up at me as I cross my arms. "See, mom said no." I chime, though my mom clears her throat. "I didn't say no, I said he couldn't handle it. Buuut, he can still watch!" She chimes and Akira squeals in excitement. "I'll do it too! First come first serve!" Arthur says, bolting out the door without another word. "Now hold on! I didn't agree to this!" I say, though my mom grins at me. "What? You rusty?" She asks and I shake my head. "No, of course not-" I say, putting my hands on my hips. "You scared?" Akira chimes, flashing me a big grin. "No, I'm perfectly fine doing it-" I say, shaking my head- of course I wanted to. "What are you waiting for?" Aima asks, grabbing me into me and dragging me out. "Hey! Wait-" I protest, though everybody tags along as Aima drags me to the garage. Arthur is standing by the key box, picking out a pair of keys.
I grumble as I walk over, reaching in and snagging a pair of keys before pointing to Kuroo. "You're riding with me." I say, storming deep into the garage as he follows behind me, a grin on his face. Arthur had taken the best car, the Toyota GT4586 with a Ferrari 458 V8 engine, so I picked the Ford Mustang RTR Supercharged. I unlock it, hopping in the driver side and settling in. I adjusted the seat and mirrors, putting on my seatbelt as Kuroo whistled, slowly rounding the car. "You gonna sit there and admire, or are you gonna hop in and feel her purr?" I ask, shutting my door and pulling out my phone, hooking it up to the speakers. Kuroo chuckles, climbing into the passenger, though someone pops into the back. I glance back, raising an eyebrow at the excited Bokuto. "Please! I wanna ride too!" Bokuto chimes and I shrug, putting the keys in the ignition. "We'll grab helmets first. Put a seatbelt on." I say and Bokuto buckles up tight, making sure it is snug. I twist the keys, the car humming to life as I rev it, a grin spreading over my face. "Oh yeah baby, you're ready to go aren't ya?" I cackle, flipping it into reverse and driving backwards to the back of the garage.
"Grab a helmet." I say, pointing to the back wall lined with all sorts of helmets as I park, hopping out and grabbing myself one. "Don't take mine!" Arthur says, jogging over and grabbing his helmet. "Who are you taking?" I ask, putting on my helmet and snapping it tight. "Oikawa and Ryunosuke." Arthur says, grabbing two more helmets as Kuroo and Bokuto grab a helmet, putting it on. "Take care not to crash my sweet baby, will ya?" I ask, also grabbing a pair of leather gloves for traction. "No promises." Arthur chimes, putting on his helmet and jogging back to his car. "Let's load up!" I cheer, hopping back into the car and sliding on the gloves. Everyone pulls on their seatbelts and I double check their straps, making sure everything was snug. "You might want to find something to hold onto." I say, clicking my seatbelt and making sure it was secure as Kuroo puts his hand on the back of my headrest and holds on tight to the upper door handle with his other hand. Bokuto puts his arms around the back of the rear seat, planting his legs firmly in the floorboard. I play my drifting playlist, blasting over the Autobahn speakers as I roll down the windows, flicking my visor down.
I press down on the breaks and clutch, pushing down the E-brake and clicking the garage door opener. I put my hand on the gearshift and steering wheel- the garage door finishes opening and I shift to first gear, slowly taking my foot off the clutch as I move my foot off the break. I press on the gas, the car roaring to life as I take my foot off the clutch fully, pulling out of the garage. I didn't bother holding back- I pressed harder on the gas and clutch, shifting up a gear- and another- we zoom across the property towards the open field. Bokuto laughs hysterically- I'm well past 100 mph at this point- Kuroo staring ahead in amazement. I spin the wheel around, the car spinning in a circle as Kuroo's eyes go wide, I flip Arthur off when our eyes catch, the car turning back in the original direction as I unspin the wheel, taking off like nothing happened. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT! I'M SO FUCKING HARD RIGHT NOW! FUCK YES!" Bokuto yells excitedly, making me laugh as the car roars, finally reaching the track- Animal starts playing over the speaker and I turn it up. The car shakes from the pounding speakers, my heart pounding in my chest as I drift us around the track, Bokuto cheering wildly.
"I think I'm in love." Kuroo says, sounding star struck- his voice barely a whisper over the car, the tires screeching, Bokuto's yelling, and the pounding of the song's bass- but a thrill shoots through me as I feel everything flutter like a billion butterflies took their first flight in my bloodstream. A bubbling laugh escapes me as I pull off to the side, doing donuts and other fancy moves, my hands twisting the wheel expertly. Kuroo laughs with me, all of us enjoying the thrill of the wind in the car, the speed, the moves. The next song plays- driving so fast- I notice Arthur coming around and I take off, both of us drifting a corner together, him barely behind me. We race around the track, a big grin spreading over my face as I feel my blood racing. Arthur wasn't bad at all, he had learned from the best after all- which was me. I remembered our first drive together, he had been screaming like a baby the entire time, holding onto anything he could. I, of course, was somehow a natural in the car I had hot wired- it had a bunch of illegal upgrades in it, so I doubted it'd be filed as stolen. But then again, I had driven it into a lake not long after that. It had sparked something inside me though, a need for speed.
The next song plays- underwrld- one I hadn't heard in a long time. I turn the speaker full blast, pulling the E-brake and spinning the wheel, spinning the car in a quick wheelie. I flick the E-brake back, holding the wheel still as we spin in a tight circle. Arthur does the same, the cars spinning in circles as we face each other. We sing the song to each other, dancing with our free hands as the car blasts the song as loud as it could. I laugh as I take back off, Arthur right on my tail as I flip a tight drift, the rear end of the car and inch from the edge of the track. Arthur isn't so lucky, his rear end smacks into the concrete, sending the car into a wild spin. I spin the wheel, pressing on the gas and barely managing to avoid getting slammed by Arthur's car before he slams into the concrete. I grab the E-brake, pulling it as I spin the car around, my front end coming behind his car's rear end. The car halts with a screech and I don't wait for it to settle before I slide off my seatbelt, hopping out of the car. I dash over to the crashed car, yanking the driver's door open and looking over the boys. Arthur's head was against the steering wheel, gripping on tight- Ryu was thrown over the rear seat.
I glanced over to Toru- he seemed pretty fine, his side of the car was untouched by the damage, Arthur had taken the brunt of it as the driver's side front had caught. "Hey, it's okay, everything will be fine." I say, seeing Toru wide eyed and frightened. He slowly nods, blinking and looking around, seeming to catch up. I crouch down next Arthur, snapping my fingers and looking over him. "Hey, did you hit anything? Are you good?" I ask and he slowly sits up, his nose crunching up as he grabs his arm. "Dislocated my arm. Other than that, just whiplash." He groans, though I grab his arm and shoulder, setting it before he could even protest. He cries out in pain, punching the steering wheel and taking a deep breath. "Yeah- we're good, thank you." He groans softly, unbuckling his seatbelt and turning off the car, pulling himself out. I move to the backseat, popping open the door and grabbing Ryu as he tries to sit up. "Don't move yet- do you hurt anywhere? Did you hit anything?" I ask, looking over him- he was the one who was thrashed around the most. "Just sore- fuck, what happened?" He groans and I slowly help him sit up, unbuckling his seatbelt.
"Car crashed." I explain, sitting him back against the rear seat and lifting two fingers and my thumb. "How many fingers am I holding up?" I ask and he looks over, blinking lightly. "Three." He says and I shake my head. "Nope, two fingers and a thumb, dumbass. What's today?" I ask, checking his pupils- they looked normal. "Today is wednesday." He chuckles softly, rubbing his neck. "Why the hell is it spelled like that anyway? Wed-nes-day? What the hell, it should just be whensday or something, saving a lot of letters there. Come on, let's get you some fresh air." I say, helping Ryu out of the car and flipping his helmet visor up so he can breath. I walk him over to the concrete, sitting him down and leaning him against the wall. I walk over to the other side of the car, opening the passenger door and taking off my helmet. I kneel down beside Toru, gently taking his hands and looking him in the eyes. "Are you okay?" I ask softly, reaching over and unbuckling his seatbelt. "Uh- I'm fine, just…" he mumbles, beginning to tremble as he falls silent. "Come on, come here. It's okay, it happens. Arthur's dumbass got cocky." I say, pulling him into a tight hug and rubbing his back gently.
He hugs me back, taking deep breaths and burying his head into my shoulder. "Holy shit, my life flashed before my eyes." He chuckles softly, finally seeming to process what had happened. "Come on, let's get you out of this car and onto the ground." I say, helping him out of the car and over to Ryu. Arthur was standing, his hand rubbing his eyes through his visor. Kuroo and Bokuto were putting the crashed car's break up, looking over the damages. "Hey, little devil, calm down. Let's get you checked out and make sure everything's fine." I say, walking over and rubbing his back gently. "You got it, Demon Girl." He chuckles and I snort, glaring at him. "If you hadn't just got in a crash, I'd beat your ass." I say, guiding him over to sit with the other two. "I saw it again, in your eyes- you were letting go a little bit, driving around like that." He mumbles and a bitter taste gathers on my tongue as I pat his shoulder lightly. "Yeah, well, I don't think we'll be doing this again anytime soon. I'll take you to the hospital, come on." I say, helping Arthur stand and getting him to the Mustang, buckling him in. Ryu next, then Toru in the passenger seat. I glance over at Bokuto and Kuroo, seeing them fidgeting.
"I need one of you to keep an eye on the two in the back, just in case something goes wrong with Arthur or Ryu. I need the other to stay with the car, I'll get someone to come pick you up." I say, climbing into the Mustang and turning the music down. Kuroo and Bokuto nod to each other, Bokuto walking over and leaning against the wall as Kuroo climbs in the backseat. I wait for him to get settled and buckle his seatbelt before handing him my phone. "Text my mom. Tell her everything is fine, Arthur got in a spin out and that I'm taking them to get checked out. Get her to send the mechanic and a ride for Bokuto." I say and he nods, taking my phone and tapping on it. "Arthur, Ryu, I'm gonna need you to talk to me. Anything, just keep talking." I say, Arthur snorting as I start driving. "I'm fine." Arthur grumbles though I glance at him through my rear view mirror. "Arthur." I warn him and he sighs, looking over at Ryu. "Hey, that was pretty cool though, right?" Arthur says and Ryu flashes him a big grin. "Cool? That was awesome! How did you learn all that?" Ryu asks and Arthur gestures to me. "Yours truly taught me." Arthur says, Ryu gasping in delight and ogling me.
We arrive at the hospital and get them checked in, so I take a seat in the waiting room. I finally blow out a breath, scrubbing a hand over my face as I feel something tap my shoulder. I glanced up as Kuroo sat next to me, holding a bottle of water. "You were really cool back there." He says as I take the water bottle, taking a sip of it and looking down at the ground. "Which part?" I ask, offering the water bottle back to him which he takes. "All of it… Obviously the drifting was awesome, but… when Arthur spun out, you stayed calm even when we were in the line of danger and acted accordingly. In fact, you were so calm about it all; you knew exactly what to say and do." Kuroo says softly, screwing the lid back onto the water bottle. "You just had it all down, like you'd done it a thousand times." Kuroo says and I snort, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Definitely not a thousand, but it isn't my first rodeo, nor is it Arthur's. We've both had worse- in fact, things probably would've been a lot worse if Arthur hadn't grabbed Toru before he flew out of the window." I say, slowly leaning back against the chair as Kuroo's eyes widen. "Wait, what?" He asks and I glance over at him, leaning my head on his shoulder.
"When shit like this happens, everything slows down for me, like it's in slow motion. I feel really calm, I assess the whole situation and react accordingly… When the car started spinning Toru started flying out of the window and his seatbelt was about to give out, but Arthur grabbed him and yanked him back. Arthur slammed into his door right as the car collided with it, dislocating his shoulder and smacking his helmet pretty hard. That's why I checked on him first- because I knew he had gotten hurt." I say, idly fiddling with my fingers as they began to tremble. Kuroo set the water bottle to the side, scooping me into his arms and flooding me with his heat. "It's okay, Kitten. They're all going to be just fine." Kuroo says and I slowly nod, burying my head into his shoulder. "I almost lost another friend… it could have been so much worse, but… I'm really glad it wasn't." I mumble, wrapping my arms around Kuroo as he gently kisses my forehead. "Let's not get into what ifs, Kitten. Everything is just fine, just relax." Kuroo says and I hesitantly nod, looking up at him. "Can you kiss me?" I whisper, his eyes softening as he gently cups my chin, pulling me up so my lips brush against his.
I close my eyes, my chest fluttering as calm washes over me, feeling myself melting into him again. He tilts his head, gently pressing his lips against mine, once again his lips everywhere I needed him. His lips were so hot and soft, setting me on fire all over, my mind going blank. It was just Kuroo and I, sharing a sweet kiss, our lips moving together fluidly. My heart pounds in my chest as I slide my hands up his back, tangling my fingers in his hair. A soft moan escapes me as I gently bite his bottom lip, tasting his peppermint mouth. He pulled away, kissing my forehead and pulling me to lay my head on his chest. "Better now?" He asks, his voice low and rough, making me smile. "Mm. I guess." I chime, making him chuckle as he slowly runs his hands through my hair. "How did you learn to drive like that anyway? Let alone find time to teach Arthur." Kuroo asks and I let out a sharp laugh, grinning up at him. "What can I say? I used to be a troublesome girl, sneaking out at night and hijacking cars." I say sarcastically, even though it was the truth. "Oh yeah? What else did you do?" He asks teasingly and I hum. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you." I say teasingly, making him laugh as he squeezes me.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone