Work Text:
"I don't break hearts, no that's not me
I don't break hearts - I destroy them"
Kuroo watched the scene play from where he sat, golden eyes narrowed in interest. Interest in particular for one woman who leaned against the bar in a form-fitting black dress, fingers tracing the stem of her wineglass as she deflected the advances of every admirer with a well placed smile or deceivingly-kind words. Her lips were painted the same colour as the liquid in her glass, and Kuroo watched them move, soundlessly as they surrounded her; with offers of luxury no doubt. It was just the kind of establishment that this was. A pretty girl walks into a bar filled with businessmen and the like, and they flocked to her like moths to flame - seemingly forgetting that they had wives at home.
As time passes, and Kuroo’s drink empties, this mystery woman seems to have chosen a suitor from the gaggle, her demeanour changing to open and carefree, head thrown back in laughter, a new glass of wine in hand - white, this time. He smiles to himself, watching her entangle the unlucky fellow into a gilded spiderweb. His goal is to get under that dress, at least judging by the way he shamelessly is staring at her. The thought, for some reason, makes Kuroo’s stomach turn. Or maybe it’s just the alcohol.
However, her endgame is much different, and with eyes half-lidded she takes his arm and whispers something into his ear with those reddened lips that makes his round face light up, not bothering to hide his glee as he leads her out of the bar. Kuroo thought that was the last time he’d see her.
As luck would have it, his prediction was incorrect, as she was back the very next night, a pair of diamond earrings unmistakably glimmering in the low light of the bar. Perhaps she had owned them before, but Kuroo had a strange feeling that they were brand new. She’s wearing a different colour tonight too - a deep green backless number that has Bokuto, who is sitting next to him tonight, all aflutter.
“D’you think she’d even like me? It seems like she’s pretty invested in those rich guys over there.”
Hah. Yeah. Invested.
“Tetsu?”
“Oh, sorry. I don’t know, man. She’s just a stranger.”
He wished she wasn’t.
On the fourth night, Kuroo isn’t quite sure what he’s doing here. Or for that matter, what she’s doing here still. Was wringing out their wallets still necessary? She had gone home with a different man each night, and that same man hadn’t been seen at the bar since. Maybe she was a vampire. He voiced this opinion aloud to Bokuto, who was with him yet again to catch a glimpse of this barside siren.
“Dude, you think so? That would be so cool!”
“Yeah, except vampires don’t exist.”
Kuroo watches as she tucks her hands into the arm of her latest victim, about to whisper those finishing words, whatever they were, when suddenly a hand is gripping her shoulder, wrenching her around.
“Why haven’t you answered any of my calls?”
It’s the man from the first night he saw her. Fire in his eyes, he grabs her by the shoulders with both hands this time, the throng of admirers swelling back up in order to protect her. Bokuto nudges him.
“This could get ugly.”
“I know.”
They both stare in surprise as she calmly knocks his hands away from her, leveling a venomous glare right at him.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
In stilettos and with the same dark red lipstick on, she is quite the force to be reckoned with, as she looks at him, eyes piercing.
“What. . . what do you mean you don’t know me? You told me you loved me!”
She turns back to her earlier prospect, waving a hand nonchalantly.
“Must have been some other girl.” She glances back at the man who has been reduced to a bewildered mess. “You’re disturbing the other patrons, get out of here.” She punctuates her last words with a final glower before slinking back up onto a barstool as if nothing had ever even happened.
It’s been seven days, and Kuroo is alone at the bar again. The incident that happened on the fourth night has happened twice, and each time she handles it with the same detached venom. To say in the least, he’s itching to talk to her. So with a final swig of whiskey to steel himself, (it’s what they did in the movies anyway) he walks over to her, sliding into the seat next to hers which is for once, empty. She turns her head to gaze at him, a funny sort of expression on her face, one he hasn’t seen yet.
“So, you finally decided to make your way over here, did you?”
At the look of surprise on his face, the woman laughs. “How could I have not noticed you? It takes dedication to come to the same place every night.” She’s wearing black again tonight, Kuroo notes as she continues to speak. “You’re certainly much nicer-looking than the men that usually talk to me, though.” Said men have since dispersed, and he is quite relieved.
He turns to look at her, really look at her this time. In all the time he’s spent gazing at her from across a bartop, he’d never met her eyes like this. It’s somewhat disconcerting, but not at all unpleasant.
“How do you do it?”
She looks right back at him, that same strange expression morphing into a grin.
“A girl’s gotta get through college somehow.”
“You’re in college too?”
Nodding, her fingers trace the rim of her glass, and she smiles a somewhat tired smile.
“Well. I’ve been doing it for a while now. It’s just more of a thrill for me at this point.”
“Why continue, then?”
“Like I said, it’s exciting. It makes me feel special, somehow. To know that people would give up so much for me.”
Kuroo can’t help but nod along with her.
“Fair enough.”
Her eyes narrow, catlike.
“Why’d you spend so much time watching me, then?”
Deciding to cut to the chase, Kuroo shrugs.
“For one, I was intrigued. Slightly jealous, if we’re really being honest here.” He laughs, a warm sound. “Student loans are a bitch.” She giggles along with him. “You’re fascinating, plain and simple. I wanted to see if I could figure you out.”
She keeps smiling.
“You can’t figure someone out just by watching them, you know. And if it’s honesty hour, then I might as well confess. I was hoping you’d come over here.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Have you looked in a mirror recently?”
Kuroo’s face feels warm, gaze darting away from her steady one.
“You talk to guys all the time though, don’t you?”
“Not pretty ones like you.”
He’s definitely a little red now, and wow, this is not how he expected this interaction to go at all.
“You think I’m pretty? To restate what you said earlier, have you looked in a mirror recently?”
She blushes back and slides off her barstool, looping an arm through his.
“I like you. Come back to my apartment with me, yeah?”
“Wait, I’m not- I don’t want to be with you like that.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Obviously. You think I bring those rich guys back to the place where I live? Hell no. They all have much nicer houses anyway, might as well take advantage of it.”
As usual, she has a point.
“By the way, what’s your name?”
“Dunno,” she shrugs. “What’s yours?”
“I asked you first.”
“I asked you second.”
He laughs as he wraps his coat around her shoulders. She glances up at him, smiling again, eyes shining.
“Awfully kind of you. Well then.” She introduces herself, snuggling into his side as they step out onto the windswept street. Kuroo holds her close the whole train ride to her home.
As she’s unlocking the door to her apartment, keys clinking softly in the quiet air, she remembers something, turning to face him as she pushes the door open.
“You never told me your name.”
Laughing, he follows her inside.
“Nice to finally meet you, I’m Kuroo Tetsurou.”
“Likewise.”