you did? kenma didn't mention anything. then again kenma doesn't pay attention to other people in general. please don't think he's rude, he just prefers to keep to himself.
[ it's not a particularly subtle change in subject, but kuroo takes it. ]
he keeps telling me he's working but i think he's just avoiding me, hehe.
We've been so busy that I didn't think anything about it. It's easy to get distracted when there are so many things to do, especially now. There's been a lot of... stress. [ Too much data to go through, too many plans to try to make. War isn't something he thinks he'll ever get used to—no matter how long they've been out in space. ]
If he's avoiding you, you should talk to him. I know I don't mind when we do.
he likes being alone. i can wait for him to get back.
[ it's interesting how people end up finding friends. kuroo hesitates to call abel a friend - they've known each other for all of a few weeks, after all - but up here, in the lonely barren skyscape of space, it's more than enough that they're on good terms with each other.
not everyone's been as genial, or civil. ]
i think he's a little mad at me, too. kind of got into a small fight earlier.
[ He doesn't want to say it's ironic, but he wonders if there's a reason behind why those types of personalities always draw the ones who don't want to be alone. Abel always tries to be polite with everyone, but sometimes... He lets his fingers brush against his lip and the scar there before distracting himself with the conversation. ]
It's easy to argue with each other when there's nowhere to go.
Do you want to talk about it?
i should probably mention i've read starfighter now
i don't have to like it. we're here to fight colterons, not each other.
[ this is why we're losing, kuroo thinks but doesn't say. they don't have a shortage of good fighters, or skilled navigators. they're not even that behind on tech; they shouldn't be losing this badly. ]
it was a case of looking at someone else's paired navigator, so i'm not sure there's anything much to talk about, honestly.
look, i'll be honest. i won't treat you any differently than i would kenma.
that means i'm not touching you without your permission, and you shouldn't expect it from me either.
welcome to the space hell of completely random updates
[ It's the first time he's ever really admitted it aloud to anyone, that lingering feeling of always trying but never getting anywhere no matter how hard everyone works.
And there's just... something about the way Kuroo says those things that makes him flush a little. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean him, and Abel's learned a while ago not to get his hopes up about those things. He's sort of private about that anyway. And it's none of his business, honestly, but he can't help asking: ]
Does looking mean that much to your navigator? I mean... I guess it would depend on a lot of things, wouldn't it? [ Who it was, how he was looking at them. ]
I don't expect it. I think it's nice if you ask, or if I know you want to. That's different.
we don't have that kind of relationship. i mean, we've tried before we came here. didn't work too well.
[ they were too close - too familiar. kuroo knew too much of kenma's needs and kenma knew too much of kuroo's interests for them to find excitement in it. they're too aware of each other. in the end, it's better. they have a higher-than-normal compatibility score, a very stable rate whenever they run sims together.
kuroo doubts kenma would even care if he mentions the reason for the fight; it's that fighting could affect their ranking that's likely pissing kenma off. ]
[ Abel feels like it takes him much too long to answer, reading those words repeatedly as if it'll help calm his racing heart. He says he doesn't have that kind of relationship with his navigator, but that could mean so many things. Maybe he's just overthinking it if Kuroo is telling him this so upfront. ]
I want you to, but I don't want to cause you any trouble either.
[ kuroo doesn't believe in coyness. it's for people who can afford to waste time, is what he thinks, and coyness has never helped him in getting what he wants either.
[ He's just trying to look out for him in the only way he knows how, and if his fighter knew– well, he doesn't want to think about that either. He only wants to be as honest with Kuroo as he can be. ]
well, let's not tell anyone if it makes you worried.
[ what goes on in the privacy of each other's time is no one's business, isn't it? it's a bit naive, sure, but kuroo's not had a reason to think otherwise just yet. ]
[ He's only worried about Kuroo, but that's probably nothing considering how good a fighter he is. It's best to do as he suggests and think about it later. ]
[ and he meant it - kuroo's stepping out of his room as he sends off the text, checking his messages first in case kenma's given a heads-up about coming back from the bridge. no such luck on that front; he sends off a note for his navigator not to wait up, instead.
it takes all of a handful of minutes before kuroo's hailing abel from the other side of his door. ]
[ Abel sends an affirmative back in response and then just... stands in the middle of his room for a handful of seconds trying to process exactly what he's doing. He'd just invited Kuroo here to, what? To touch him? Maybe kiss him? Had he really been thinking about that? It's not as if Abel would readily admit something like that himself, but it's a very real possibility he has to consider now that the fighter is on his way here.
And when he hears his voice from the hall, it kickstarts Abel into actually moving, dropping his data pad somewhere off to the side of his bed and dragging his fingers through his hair before he even makes it to the door. He manages to open it without too much hesitation. ]
Hi. [ Abel also hopes he isn't turning red when he looks at him either, stepping back to make room for Kuroo to enter. ] You can come in. [ So he can probably shut the door again and lock it too. ]
no subject
then again kenma doesn't pay attention to other people in general.
please don't think he's rude, he just prefers to keep to himself.
[ it's not a particularly subtle change in subject, but kuroo takes it. ]
he keeps telling me he's working but i think he's just avoiding me, hehe.
what ARE you guys up to lately?
no subject
We've been so busy that I didn't think anything about it. It's easy to get distracted when there are so many things to do, especially now. There's been a lot of... stress. [ Too much data to go through, too many plans to try to make. War isn't something he thinks he'll ever get used to—no matter how long they've been out in space. ]
If he's avoiding you, you should talk to him. I know I don't mind when we do.
no subject
i can wait for him to get back.
[ it's interesting how people end up finding friends. kuroo hesitates to call abel a friend - they've known each other for all of a few weeks, after all - but up here, in the lonely barren skyscape of space, it's more than enough that they're on good terms with each other.
not everyone's been as genial, or civil. ]
i think he's a little mad at me, too.
kind of got into a small fight earlier.
no subject
It's easy to argue with each other when there's nowhere to go.
Do you want to talk about it?
i should probably mention i've read starfighter now
we're here to fight colterons, not each other.
[ this is why we're losing, kuroo thinks but doesn't say. they don't have a shortage of good fighters, or skilled navigators. they're not even that behind on tech; they shouldn't be losing this badly. ]
it was a case of looking at someone else's paired navigator, so i'm not sure there's anything much to talk about, honestly.
look, i'll be honest.
i won't treat you any differently than i would kenma.
that means i'm not touching you without your permission, and you shouldn't expect it from me either.
welcome to the space hell of completely random updates
[ It's the first time he's ever really admitted it aloud to anyone, that lingering feeling of always trying but never getting anywhere no matter how hard everyone works.
And there's just... something about the way Kuroo says those things that makes him flush a little. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean him, and Abel's learned a while ago not to get his hopes up about those things. He's sort of private about that anyway. And it's none of his business, honestly, but he can't help asking: ]
Does looking mean that much to your navigator? I mean... I guess it would depend on a lot of things, wouldn't it? [ Who it was, how he was looking at them. ]
I don't expect it. I think it's nice if you ask, or if I know you want to. That's different.
not gonna lie i'm stressed over it
i mean, we've tried before we came here. didn't work too well.
[ they were too close - too familiar. kuroo knew too much of kenma's needs and kenma knew too much of kuroo's interests for them to find excitement in it. they're too aware of each other. in the end, it's better. they have a higher-than-normal compatibility score, a very stable rate whenever they run sims together.
kuroo doubts kenma would even care if he mentions the reason for the fight; it's that fighting could affect their ranking that's likely pissing kenma off. ]
do you want me to ask?
it's okay i am too
I want you to, but I don't want to cause you any trouble either.
no subject
i like you.
[ kuroo doesn't believe in coyness. it's for people who can afford to waste time, is what he thinks, and coyness has never helped him in getting what he wants either.
being direct seems better, really. ]
i'm asking you now.
no subject
[ He's just trying to look out for him in the only way he knows how, and if his fighter knew– well, he doesn't want to think about that either. He only wants to be as honest with Kuroo as he can be. ]
It's okay. I want you to.
no subject
[ what goes on in the privacy of each other's time is no one's business, isn't it? it's a bit naive, sure, but kuroo's not had a reason to think otherwise just yet. ]
is now a good time?
no subject
Now's fine. No one is here with me.
no subject
[ and he meant it - kuroo's stepping out of his room as he sends off the text, checking his messages first in case kenma's given a heads-up about coming back from the bridge. no such luck on that front; he sends off a note for his navigator not to wait up, instead.
it takes all of a handful of minutes before kuroo's hailing abel from the other side of his door. ]
Yo, you in there?
no subject
And when he hears his voice from the hall, it kickstarts Abel into actually moving, dropping his data pad somewhere off to the side of his bed and dragging his fingers through his hair before he even makes it to the door. He manages to open it without too much hesitation. ]
Hi. [ Abel also hopes he isn't turning red when he looks at him either, stepping back to make room for Kuroo to enter. ] You can come in. [ So he can probably shut the door again and lock it too. ]