#essentially Atumu doesn't know what a kiss is

[bucketofchum]

Teen AU

In his foster home, his room is bare. He sleeps on a military cot that fit him when he was 11, but no longer fits his elongated 17-year old body.

The only things in his room are a single towel which doubles as a blanket, in addition to a couple of hand-me-down clothes that are simultaneously too big and too small for his disproportionate body, and his most prized possessions which he keeps underneath the cot, in secret. They are books. Old high school or university textbooks, some from decades ago. He has read them all cover to cover. Molecular toxicology, epigenomics, particle physics. It doesn't matter - he's just happy to have them. These are his treasures. He loves learning and loves knowing what people have found in the world. He loves learning, questioning. There is so much about the world he doesn't know.

At some point, Startop invites himself to Atumu's house, and it's really scary for Atumu to host his classmate. The house smells like stale beer and cigarettes (no bother for the rebellious 17-year old Star, who already drinks and smokes), and the carpets and sofas are all stained and yellow, despite Atumu's efforts to clean.

The cot is embarrassing to show Star, and even more embarrassing that it is all he has to offer his classmate. It's squeaky, hard, and cold. He knows Star is from a good family. His father is...one could say aristocratic. He knows Startop has a bed at home, and a comfortable one at that. Multiple pillows. Covers. Blankets. Atumu has none of that to offer. He only has the cot, the towel, and... that's it. He can ball up some clothes to act as a pillow, if Star needs. He'll sleep on the floor, so Star can take the cot.

The two boys lay in silence, both uncomfortable, physically and emotionally. Atumu wraps his arms around his body and curls up on the ground. He really wishes he had more to offer his classmate - Startop has been more than generous to him in the past, and this is no way to show gratitude. But this is all he has to offer. They lay in silence some more. The ground is hard. It is cold.

"Are you still up?" Star's small voice breaks the silence in the darkness.

"Yeah."

Silence.

"Do you...need anything?" Atumu figured he'd ask even if he had nothing more to offer.

"Do you want to come up here?"

"No it's okay--"

"I'm cold..."

"Sorry I don't -- I can...get my jacket..." Atumu gets up to look for extra layers to give to Star. He finds his jacket hanging on the back of his chair. "Here--" he drapes it over the smaller boy's body. He sits back down on the ground, beside the cot.

Startop props himself up on one elbow, looking down. "Atumu...come up here. I wanna...I wanna give you something."

Atumu's heart drops for a second. He can't take anything else from Star. Startop had provided food for him every day this past week. There is no way he could pay it all back. He'd rather not eat than owe his only friend a debt he couldn't repay...

"I've...I've taken enough from you, Startop."

"No, this is something different. Come up here."

Curious, Atumu crawls onto the cot with Startop. It's a tight squeeze. The small cot was barely large enough for Star's tiny frame by himself. Atumu's long limbs hang off the side of the cot.

Star tugs Atumu down and rolls on top of his chest. He brings his face close to his classmate's. Atumu can feel Startop's breath on his face.

The smaller boy licks his chapped lips and presses them into Atumu's. He closes his eyes as he melts into the brown boy's soft warm lips.

A kiss...

Atumu blinks in surprise. What is this...what is Startop doing...?

"What was that?" He asks, when Startop finally breaks away.

"What?" Star's heart drops to the pit of his stomach. "Did you not like it?" he asks meekly.

"I shouldn't... I shouldn't take anything else from you--" Atumu mutters, rolling over to get off the cot. What was that...?