AN- guys pls be kind this is my first one shot and so if anything needs to be changed pls lmk or if itโs ooc im sorry
โธปYou Donโt Have to Carry It Alone
The gym was louder than usual. Sneakers squeaked against the polished floor, volleyballs thudded against hands, and voices echoed off the high ceiling. Normally, you liked the noise. It gave you something to focus on.
Today, it just made your head hurt.
You sat on the bleachers, hoodie sleeves pulled over your hands, staring at the same spot on the floor for so long it started to blur. You werenโt watching practice anymore. You werenโt really thinking about anything at all. Justโฆ tired. The kind of tired that sleep didnโt fix.
Across the court, Tsukishima noticed.
At first, he tried to ignore it. You looked quiet โ but you were quiet a lot. Still, something felt off. You hadnโt laughed at anything during warmups. You hadnโt waved when he glanced your way. You just sat there, shoulders slightly hunched, like the world was heavier than usual.
During a break, he grabbed his water bottle and walked over.
โYouโve been staring at the floor for ten minutes,โ he said, voice flat but not unkind. โItโs not going to move, you know.โ
You blinked, startled out of your thoughts. โOh. Sorry.โ
He frowned slightly. That wasnโt like you either โ apologizing for nothing.
You tried to give a small smile, but it didnโt reach your eyes. โIโm just tired.โ
Tsukishima studied you for a moment, golden eyes sharp behind his glasses. He wasnโt the type to pry, and he definitely wasnโt the type to get emotional. But he wasnโt clueless either.
โThatโs not normal tired,โ he said quietly.
The words hit harder than you expected. Your fingers tightened in your sleeves.
He sat down beside you โ close enough that you could feel the warmth from his shoulder, but not so close that it felt overwhelming. For a minute, neither of you spoke. The noise from practice filled the silence.
Then he said, softer this time,
โYouโve been different lately.โ
You swallowed. Your throat felt tight.
โI justโฆโ You hesitated, staring at your hands. โEverything feels really heavy. All the time. Even small things.โ
You expected him to make a sarcastic comment. To brush it off. Thatโs what he usually did.
Instead, he stayed quiet.
โI wake up tired,โ you continued, voice barely above a whisper. โI canโt focus. I donโt feel excited about anything anymore. I keep thinking I should just get over it, but I canโt.โ
Your vision blurred, and you quickly wiped at your eyes, embarrassed.
Tsukishima shifted slightly, then spoke โ calm, steady.
โThat sounds exhausting.โ
You looked at him, surprised. No teasing. No jokes. Justโฆ understanding.
He adjusted his glasses, gaze still on the court.
โYou donโt have to pretend with me,โ he added. โI noticed.โ
The simple statement made your chest ache in a different way โ not from sadness, but from relief.
โI donโt want to be a burden,โ you admitted.
โYouโre not that important.โ
You stared at him, offended for half a second โ until you saw the faintest hint of a smirk.
Then his expression turned serious again.
โBut you matter,โ he said. โSo if somethingโs wrong, ignoring it is a terrible strategy.โ
You let out a shaky breath โ the kind you didnโt realize you were holding.
He nudged your shoulder lightly with his own.
โTalk to someone,โ he continued. โMe. A friend. A counselor. Anyone who actually knows what theyโre doing.โ
The gym noise faded into the background as you sat there together. You didnโt feel magically better. The heaviness was still there.
But it didnโt feel quite as lonely anymore.
Tsukishima stood up, grabbing his water bottle.
โDonโt disappear after practice,โ he said, glancing back at you. โWeโre walking home together.โ
And for the first time in a while, the thought of the walk home didnโt feel so hard.
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