"Aw, come on!" Oikawa cooed, flashing Kuroo a smug grin that is becoming annoyingly familiar to the displaced demon. "It really isn't that complicated, my lord. "

Kuroo wanted to throw his pencil at the brunet.

"I mean, just last week you were flying through equations twice this difficult! What happened?"

Scratch that, Kuroo was going to throw his chair at him. Maybe even set it on fire first if Oikawa doesn't wipe the smirk off his face.

That has been how Kuroo's first few days in the human world has gone, the same pattern over and over again. Oikawa would antagonize him, Kuroo would retaliate, someone - usually Iwaizumi or Bokuto - would intervene. Wash, rinse, repeat.

And as Oikawa so graciously helped him with the biology homework that Tetsurou was assigned before the school break started, it was no different.

Iwaizumi shot his boyfriend a look, letting out a sigh before he reached over and flicked him on the forehead. "I don't know what has been going on between the two of you ever since the party and I'm not sure I want to know but cut it out already. We're all sick of your attitudes and constant bickering. Enough is enough."

"Yeah, you two have been off since the party, especially you, dude." Bokuto gestured at Kuroo with his eraser, the demon lord feeling ridiculous for bristling at such a harmless object pointed in his direction. "What happened?"

"He has been super weird and even more annoying since then, almost as if he is a different person. Or as if he got possessed by a demon." Oikawa grinned at his friend's doppelganger. "Have you been possessed by a demon, Kuroo-chan?"

Kuroo really was going to murder this insolent human. Maybe he would make that his last act in this universe before returning to his own home. A final screw you to this universe.

Satisfied with his vague plan of homicide, Kuroo returned Oikawa's smile. "You really think just any old demon could possess me? Please, only the king of hell could be worthy of such a feat."

"My sincerest apologies, your highness!"

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to his own studying, but not before muttering another comment on the situation. "With how obsessed you two have been with demons lately, I wouldn't be shocked if Kuroo actually was a demon."

Oikawa and Kuroo exchanged a look, for once in agreement that they needed to discourage this line of thinking in Iwaizumi, no matter how slim of a chance there was that he actually believed it. The brunet let out a laugh, tossing an arm over Kuroo's shoulder. "Really, Iwa-chan? You believe our dear old Kuroo here could actually be a demon?" He squeezed his shoulder as he laughed once more. "Please, he is far too selfless and angelic for that to be true."

Kuroo scoffed quietly, readying a quip about Oikawa's lack of knowledge about his home realm and the complicated relationships between the different races before stopping himself when he felt the hair rising on the back of his neck and goosebumps forming on his arms. His stomach began twisting in knots and his palms started sweating. Confused as to why his body was reacting the same way it does when Koushi and or Satori were about to pull a dumb stunt despite neither of them being in the same room - or universe, for that matter - as him, the displaced demon looked up from the biology homework in front of him in search for answers from his temporary housemates.

Thankfully he was able to stop himself before flinching when he noticed Bokuto staring intently at him, his head slightly tilted to the side as if he actually was part bird. Kuroo couldn't afford to stir up any more questions or suspicions from Iwaizumi and he knew that reacting like that would only push the grumpiest roommate into watching him more closely. Forcing himself to give Bokuto what he hoped was a reassuring smile, Kuroo continued on his quest to find the cause of his sudden panic, frustration adding itself to the jumble of feelings inside him when he ultimately came up empty for clues.

There was nothing out of the ordinary in their apartment aside from his presence and he was thoroughly convinced that Iwaizumi was only joking earlier when he said he was starting to believe he was a demon, so he was truly at a loss for what was making him feel so unsettled. Gnawing on his bottom lip, Kuroo risked another glance around the room in case he missed something before, the muscles in his shoulders and back twitching like they do when he flexes his wings.

"Dude, relax. Your fidgeting is distracting them." Oikawa hissed in his ear, unintentionally reminding Kuroo where he was and in what company he found himself surrounded by. He placed a hand on the center of Kuroo's back, pausing his restless movements. When Kuroo made eye contact with him he nodded curtly. "I'll teach you how to fidget properly later, for now, let's get through this study session, okay?"

Kuroo returned Oikawa's nod, the pair silently agreeing to call a truce on their annoyance war for the time being. They both turned back to their own work, relieved to see they were almost done with what they had planned to accomplish for that night. As they finished up, Kuroo ignored the feeling of Bokuto watching him pack up Tetsurou's study materials, mumbling an excuse before making a quick retreat to his room to panic in peace.

His peace, however, was very short lived because not even five minutes after he closed his door it was being swung open by Oikawa, the brunet making himself at home on his bed along with a notebook and pencil. Kuroo closed the door Oikawa had left open, leaning against with his arms crossed and a brow arched. Oikawa rolled his eyes, patting the space on the bed next to him.

"You should know by now that you don't and will never intimidate me. Now get over here, it's learning time."

"Didn't we just finish our study session?" Kuroo grunted, taking the spot next to Oikawa.

"Yeah, for school. This is your lesson on how to be a better Kuroo." Oikawa rolled his eyes when Kuroo glared at him. "Human Kuroo." He huffed when he didn't get any further response, thrusting the notebook into Kuroo's hands. "Read it and study it. This is the basics on what I know of my world's Kuroo, his schedule, his goals, and his relationships with others. Memorize this and write down any questions you may have or anything you need clarified or elaborated. Once you know this by heart we can introduce more advanced and complex ideas, got it?"

Kuroo blinked in shock, a swell of gratitude rising in his heart at the amount of effort Oikawa was putting into helping him. He flipped through the pages, smiling at the reassurance that at least one thing was constant between universes; his friendship with Oikawa.

"Thank you for this, now I almost feel bad for planning your murder earlier."

"I'm sorry, what."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to go through with it at this time." Kuroo winked at the reddening face of his friend. "But seriously, thank you. Will you help me study?"

Oikawa scoffed, elbowing Kuroo as he pulled out his phone. "Duh, why else would I be here and not making out with Iwa-chan?"

"You're disgusting."

"Correction; I'm your only hope at potentially pulling off being human Kuroo. I mean, if it weren't for me saving your ass earlier Bo definitely would've started questioning you right then and there." Kuroo startled, tearing his eyes away from Tetsurou's class schedule for the upcoming term to gawk at Oikawa. "Why the shock? Bo may look and act like an idiot but he is a lot smarter and more observant than he lets on, especially when it comes to the people he loves and cares about. And you - or, more accurately, human Kuroo - are number one on the list of people he loves."

Kuroo groaned, dropping his head into his hands. "Great. Barely even a week into my stay here in this dimension and posing as this world's Kuroo and I already have the suspicions of the man who knows this Kuroo better than anyone." Slapping his cheeks after a second groan, Kuroo peered at an unreadable Oikawa. "Am I going to have to act in love yet in denial of my feelings for Bokuto in order to blend in?"

"Oh, yes. I know it may be hard for you to do so given how you've reacted thus far to any interaction with or mention of Bokuto but it must be done if you don't want him or our other friends to start worrying about you." Oikawa tapped the notebook with his pointer finger. "So unless you want to be mercilessly grilled by everyone in this world on why you're not drooling over Bokuto anymore, I suggest you forget your hatred for all things Bokuto and put your pride aside for the sake of love."

With that last bit of advice Oikawa pulled out his phone and began scrolling, leaving Kuroo to start reading over the detailed notes he was given. He flipped the page with trembling hands, shoving down the memories of the last time he put his pride aside for the sake of love, his left hand unconsciously going to rub his chest just below his collar bones.

At least this body doesn't have the same physical reminders for why he will never give his heart to Bokuto again.