established tsukikage that never really fight or argue about anything seriously. obviously they banter, and they nitpick each other's choices - kei with tobio's early morning runs and tobio with kei's habit of travelling from sendai -> tokyo to visit him for one day - but there's actually no amount of anger and disappointment really embedded there
and it's not like they're afraid of saying things that could possibly lead to fighting. quite the opposite, actually - they're very upfront about what they think about each other
it's all because they know how they actually sound like when they're angry all because of the fights they've had in their first year. the unspoken pact about banter being mere banter and not inflicting pain just settled around them before they graduated and so it stayed, possibly lessened the thin line even more between insults and teasing the moment they started dating
and oh, it's just the thought of always knowing what the other stands for, that they can never really say something mean, that's simmered with anger, because the concept of anger had left both of them the moment they realized they liked the other despite the many fights they've already had before even being established
you suddenly start to like someone that you've thought was just a plain-old tick on the head in your life. really, is there any space for picking nasty fights of tears and yelling when once in a blue moon chances are given and met?
oh, you know. subtly clingy boyfriend kei and fondly exasperated, and more blatant, boyfriend tobio. whatever man
kei who will randomly play with tobio's hair as they wait for their train. tobio who will glance at him in curiosity but letting him be
kei who's tired from university and plopping down the sofa beside tobio, pancaking himself on tobio's chest. tobio who will continue reading the volleyball article he was occupied with and listening to kei's calming heartbeat as he napped
kei who stands close to tobio everywhere with their arms touching, and tobio who has to make the first move so their hands finally interlock
kei who sleepily taps on tobio's side of the bed when he hears tobio getting dressed for his usual morning run. kei who calls for him with a raspy voice, touching him on the cheek and hips, before falling back asleep. tobio who is amused about the strange ritual every morning that kei doesn't need to wake up early; he adjusts the blanket around kei's sleeping form every time
kei who gets a bit heated when someone blatantly shows interest in kageyama "dense" tobio to the point that he'll break his mask of indifference and will wrap an arm around tobio's back and easily put his chin beside tobio's shoulder because of their height difference
tobio who doesn't mind all of it, will never mind all of it. he, too, has his moments where he'll play with kei's fingers while kei is reviewing for a quiz and holding his notes with his unnocupied hand.
tobio who will always be the one that uses kei as a hugging pillow before he wakes up.
tobio whose brows furrow at anyone that tries to hit on kei; he'll grab kei's hand, will still say "Excuse me," the stiffly polite guy that he is, before dragging the amused kei away from that person.
tobio and kei who's always greedy to touch each other that they can't help but always give in; because both of them want it
i'm trying to comprehend who will be the designated driver between tsukikage and it would actually be really helpful to have a discussion about this very important case!
tobio might not bother with having a car because of how used to public transport he is. even when he moves to italy, he doesn't mind ever walking anywhere. he'll always say it's a free "run," the volleyball idiot that he is
kei would have a license for practical reasons, like if someone in an event needs to be a backup driver or something, but not have a car. he's the type to get it soon after being of legal age
...actually this is just an excuse to mutter about kei putting one hand on the passenger seat where tobio is as he's backing the car with his other hand on the steering wheel
after they're successfully parked, kei would glance at tobio who was still looking at him, warm on the face, before he pretends to be nonchalant about it. "Something on my face, King?"
tobio would only softly huff before turning away, facing his window, still looking a bit pink. "Nothing."
kei would then start making fun of him about this moment even years after. tobio gets pissed about it but not in a genuine way; he knows he's getting riled up because kei wants to see if he'll give in and finally do something, the asshole that he is lol
abo tsukikage having 'omega'-like scents despite being both alphas ouhhhh the niche!
tobio's smelling like lavender mixed with a baby powder-like scent + kei's scent being ripened strawberries mixed with a citrus-like scent close to sweetened lemonade
+ when they're fighting, their scents go spicy and all wood-like. the whole room is going to be smelling like dead lavender and rotten strawberries :]
+ when they're finally mated, both of them smell like fresh and warm laundry that was bathed in flower detergent
He moves on with his day, do his chores, go on a run, practice every day in their backyard so his body won't forget, and does it all over again with occasional comments by his head about Tsukishima this, Tsukishima that.
Thinking about Tsukishima is something that Tobio quickly realizes is now a norm for him.
-----------
The quiet almost distracted him from the fact that he wasn't alone anymore, but Tsukishima's presence is hard to ignore. Tobio stiffly turns to him, body still facing the tree. "...Why are you just standing there." He's not waiting for me, is he?
Looking at Tsukishima up and down again, now with his arms cross and an expectant expression on his face, Tobio freezes. Shit. He totally was waiting for me.
"Karasuno, fight!"
Later, when he finally notices that Shoyo had put one bunny ear on top of his head opposite the peace sign he did, he almost throws the wing spiker towards the metal cabinets of the club room.
"AH! Captain, look what he's doing to me...!!!" Shoyo screams for Tadashi's saving grace, arms covering his face with Tobio holding the front collar of his shirt.
Tadashi shivers from where he was seated on the floor, and it was not because he had his sweatshirt up to his shoulder. Removing it and grabbing for his change of clothes, he weakly glares at Shoyo who was fixing his own shirt after finally getting let go by Tobio. "Please don't start calling me that already... I'm gonna be sick."
"Don't throw up here." Tobio glances at him, pulling the zipper of his bag open.
"Because of that, I'm gonna make you Vice-Captain out of bitterness, Tobio-kun...!!"
"Don't joke about that so casually, Tadashi..." Shoyo makes a vomiting sound. "Or I'm gonna throw up!"
Tobio side-eyes him, neatly folding his used uniform. "Unlike you, I actually have experience."
"Wow, you're deliberately forgetting that I was Captain back in middle school...!!!"
"Now, you're just angering me!" Shoyo stomps like a child towards Tadashi. "Make Tsukishima Vice instead!"
Tsukishima immediately refuses. "Don't drag me into your poor argument." He clicks his tongue.
"Hm?" Tadashi turns to him, curious. "Are you not interested, Tsukki?"
Tsukishima huffs, unwrapping the bandages on his fingers. "It's already hard enough to be a graduating senior. No thanks."
Shoyo's face scrunches up. "You don't have to remind us about exams, Stingyshima."
Tsukishima just raises a brow. "I give you good luck on your endeavors."
Amidst Shoyo's swearing around Tsukishima's name while the blonde is trying to slap his pointed hand away, Tadashi sighs as he cups his own cheek, resting it on his crossed legs. "I can't believe that we'll be graduating in a few months... How's finding a teacher, by the way, Shoyo-kun?"
Shoyo leaves his mission of annoying Tsukishima out and hums, a finger tapping his cheek. "Still searching with Ukai-san." He then groans out-loud, hands twisting his locks. "Who knew it'd be so hard to find a Japanese person who teaches beach volleyball!"
Tobio, finished with organizing his things, lays his head back to the locker behind him, eyes closed. "That's what you get for changing sports, dumbass."
"I am not changing sports! And as if you get any say! You'll probably go overseas the moment you get a contract...!!"
"Uh, Shoyo..." Tadashi chuckles. "You are changing sports. From indoor to outdoor."
"Let the idiot think for himself." Tsukishima says, scrolling through his phone.
"Hey!" Shoyo glares at the middle blocker.
Tobio huffs. "Who wouldn't go overseas the moment they get a contract."
Tadashi sighs. "Of course, you'd agree with that, Tobio-kun..." He sighs, even heavier. "Ah... This year's going to be eventful, I can already feel it. Ah, senpai, what am I gonna do..."
Tsukishima clicks his tongue. "Stop it, Yamaguchi."
In retaliation, the freckled-guy groans. "Am I seriously the only one worrying about our futures, here...!!! Where's Hitoka-chan when you need someone to drown in anxiety with you..."
"She still has a curfew." Tobio, done with resting his eyes, stands up, bag around his shoulders. He holds out a hand for Tadashi. "Up."
Tadashi blinks at him, before smiling, droopy around the edges. "Tobio-kun, you're gonna make me cry again."
"Please don't."
Tobio glances at Tsukishima, but he finds that Tsukishima was already facing him, brows raised at their chorus. Tobio turns back at Tadashi, already standing, looking back and forth at them with an amused grin.
Then, Shoyo all but shoves them out of the way, walking towards the door of the clubroom. "Move, lovebirds. Some people here actually want to go home in peace."
Tobio tch's. "Ryu-senpai left the keys with you, dumbass."
Before Shoyo could even attempt to toss it to him so he can close the clubroom himself, Tobio blocks it with his bag, heading towards the stairs.
"Did you just block the keys with your stupid fucking bag...?!?!!?"
Still walking down, Tobio looks back at Shoyo, daring. "And if I did?" He mocks with an uninterested tone.
"YOU...!!!"
"Shoyo-kun." A laugh. "We'll wait for you. Come on."
"'We'?"
"Tsukki."
Tobio yawns amidst the cold night of spring. Some lights are still enough to illuminate the growing sakura on the school grounds, visible from where he stood. He watches their leaves fall down as he waits, holding the strap of his bag.
Not a few seconds later, he hears the other three going down the stairs. Then, a startling, heavy weight around his back that almost makes him collide with dirt face-to-face. "FUCK! You damn- fucking-"
"Shoyo-kun!" Tadashi's horrified and equally scolding tone says it all. "That's dangerous!"
Shoyo's boisterous laugh is irritatingly close to Tobio's ear, as it always is. "What will we be having for dinner today, Yamayama!" He says it as if it's a fact.
Tobio tries not to groan as he starts to walk, Shoyo still having his arms wrapped around his clavicle. He's going to throw the bastard off if he slips and chokes him. "Who says you're welcome inside my house."
"Boo! Miwa-san invited me herself! You can't refuse!" Shoyo sing-songs, waiving a pointed finger in front of the setter's face.
Tobio looks back at his triumphant expression with a nasty scowl. "When-"
"Just now! Was telling Tadashi and Tsukki about it upstairs, actually!"
"Don't call me that."
Catching up with the duo, Tadashi winces beside them. "I thought that was a joke..."
Tobio deeply frowns, wanting to check his emails to see if his sister even informed him about it. He looks back at the peaceful Shoyo once again with a glare. "Get off."
With one last huff, Shoyo detangles himself from the taller figure, and as if he has springs under his shoes, the spiker catches himself with steady ground. They go past the school gates. "Maybe if you actually check your messages, you'll know!"
"I check them enough." Tobio huffs, scrolling through his phone with the keys. He clicks on a recent one from Miwa, and true enough, it informs him that his sister invited Shoyo and the others for dinner.
He texts the older woman, Why?
As if waiting for it, he immediately receives, No reason! Get home safe.
Tobio's brows furrow, staring down at his screen. Miwa never does anything without a reason.
"What'd'she say?" There goes his personal space. Crossing his eyes at first, Shoyo hums, before howling out a laugh. "Guess Miwa-san doesn't tell you everything!"
She never has to. Tobio shoves Shoyo away with a hand. "Would you fuck off?!"
"Ah, there goes our peaceful walk towards Tobio-kun's house..."
"Who says I'm coming?"
At the close-ended question, Tobio frowns. He turns to the two best friends. He catches Tsukishima's eyes for a split second but the latter quickly averted his eyes. Tobio's brows furrow. "Nee-san doesn't take no for an answer."
"And I told Rei-san already!" Tadashi chirps, closing his phone. "She said yes."
"You what." Tsukishima glares at Tadashi.
But Tadashi just freely laughs, visibly used to the blonde's mood by now. "Come on, Tsukki, it's already spring break! Besides, we rarely have the chance to go to each other's houses."
"Maybe it's because you always choose mine when exams roll around." Tsukishima deadpans.
That's not rejection. Tobio tries not to sing under his breath.
Unfortunate at it is, Shoyo notices the look in his face as he turns away, immediately cooing. "Aww! Yamayama's excited that we're finally gonna be complete inside his house! It's terrible without Hitoka, of course!"
Tobio snarls. "I'm not."
"You totally are."
"I. Am. Not-"
"Guys." Tadashi pointedly guys, exasperated. "We literally don't know where we're going. Would you please lead the way?"
Shoyo salutes as if on cue, "Sir, yes, sir!" and started marching forward.
"What the hell." Tobio's brow twitches in irritation. "That bastard's so embarrassing."
"That, he is." Tsukishima sneers.
"You two, seriously..." Tadashi gets a hold of both of their shoulders, patting them with another heavy sigh. "Come on, let's catch up with him or else he'd jump another flight of stairs... Seriously."
When Tobio opens the front doors of his house, the smell of miso soup greets their intrusion. Tobio doesn't even glance at Shoyo immediately bee-lining towards the left hallway with a loud greeting towards Miwa, putting his smaller shoes on the side of the genkan. Tobio turns back to the other two. "You can leave your shoes here."
"Wow." Tadashi looks around as he squats down. "It's even bigger on the inside."
Tobio makes them sit on the couch, walking towards the open kitchen. "Nee-san?" He also doesn't see Shoyo everywhere. Maybe he went upstairs. He looks back at the best friends. "Are you staying the night?"
Tadashi blinks, before sheepishly smiling, glancing at Tsukishima who was busy with his phone. "Ah... I have to ask my mom first."
Tobio tilts his head. "Don't force yourself."
"I'm here!" They hear a voice from behind the counters, and sure enough, Miwa appears, standing up from what she'd been doing, a black headband pulling her hair back. She smiles at Tobio. "Took you long enough."
"He was being a pain in the ass on our way here!" Shoyo's loud voice is heard from the second floor, then he descends the stairs with annoying look in his face.
"Shut your mouth inside someone's home, asshole."
"Whatever, Yamayama!" Uninterested, Shoyo turns to Miwa with a hungry expression. "Are we really having expensive sushi?!"
"What the fuck." Tobio pointedly stares at his sister.
Miwa laughs at what she finds on his face. "It was a surprise. Help me with the plates, won't you?"
Still with a suspicious look, Tobio complies, shoving a leaning Shoyo on the counter to the side and ignoring his yelp to open the drawer beside the fridge. "Is it from work?"
"Yep. I got promoted today." He hears Miwa placing the glasses on the table behind the couch. "We finally meet, Tobio's friends."
"Good evening, Kageyama-san! And congratulations on the promotion!"
"Hello. Congratulations."
Miwa chuckles. "So formal. Call me Miwa. And thank you."
"Miwa-san, the miso soup's ready!"
Tobio passes his sister going back to the kitchen to assist Shoyo with the pot, placing the plates and bowls on the table. He looks up and sees Tadashi watching him with a smile, leaning his head comfortably on its back. He tilts his head, questioning.
"Nothing." Tadashi's smile softens. "You're also not that different in your home."
Tobio raises a brow, finished with organizing the bowls. "Am I supposed to be different?"
Tadashi hums, before smiling again. "No. I just expected differently. That's on me."
Tobio feels lingering wonder at the suddenness of it all, but he ultimately leaves it be. "Come sit here."
Not waiting for an answer, he goes back to the kitchen, now passing both Shoyo and Miwa who are on their way towards the table themselves with the pot of miso soup. He doesn't react when Miwa sneaks a hand to ruffle his head.
With a sigh, Tobio offhandedly fixes his hair, knowing it's now a mess, as he grabs a pitcher of cold water from the fridge. When he returns to the table, everyone is already in their respective seats. There's only one left beside Miwa and Shoyo. Tobio lays the pitcher on an empty space in the table first before sitting.
"Thank you for the meal!"
Tobio eyes the variety of sushi's and sashimi on the table. He grabs one tuna and one roe for his plate.
"So, how did your last practice with your senpai's go?" Miwa starts, scooping some soup for their bowls while standing up.
"Like always." Tobio shortly says.
"It was fun!" Shoyo beams. "Some of our kouhai's cried again, though. Man." He cackles, as if recalling something. "Ito, that kid, can scream!"
"The setter, right?" Miwa looks at Tobio for confirmation.
"He is."
"Ugh. Your answers are so boring! Can you give us anything else!?"
Tobio glares at the ginger. "I'm eating." He pointedly says, swallowing a tamago sushi as if on cue.
Shoyo rolls his eyes. "Can you believe him?" He looks at Miwa, pointing his chopsticks at the setter.
Miwa just chuckles, placing Tsukishima's bowl of soup from where it came from, the last one. Tsukishima thanks her and she smiles. "Of course. Are you planning something tonight?"
"Nothing."
"Scary movies, maybe!"
Tobio glares back at Shoyo's own stink-eye when they catch themselves speaking at the same time. "We are not watching any of your stupid, scary movies again."
"How dare you insult my amazing taste!"
"What scary movies?" Tadashi says around his second eel sushi.
"They're lame." Tobio deadpans. "You'll die from how lame they are before a character even dies."
Shoyo groans. "Is this about The End again?"
Miwa laughs, recognizing the name. "You actually watched that? Gross!"
"See." Tobio smirks. "Even nee-san agrees with me."
"Miwa-san!" Shoyo whines.
"Any movie directed by Hoshitori is bad."
"Tsukki! You know The End?"
"You know The End?" Tobio blinks.
"My own brother has peculiar tastes." Tsukishima grimaces, as if the salmon he just ate tasted sour. "He always thinks it's not worth it if he watches films on his own when he's home."
"Akiteru-san and this dumbass should do a movie night and leave us out of it." Tobio glares down at his chopsticks as if it did something bad to him instead. He still remembers not wanting to eat seaweed for days without his nose scrunching up after watching that damned movie.
"Agreed."
"Hey! Stop hating on my amazing view on movies! You guys just don't understand...!!!"
"Yeah, right."
A loud laugh from Miwa cuts off the back and forth. "Are you two always like this?" She waves her chopsticks between Tobio and Tsukishima with an amused snicker. "This is comedy gold."
Tobio sees the glint on her eyes. No good. He tries not to grimace himself. "Nee-san-"
"They're the asshole duo! Always off being a jerk to everyone." Shoyo boisterously confirms.
"Oi." Tobio scowls at him. He really doesn't like that familiar, mischievous look in that bastard's eyes.
Miwa suddenly changes the topic. "Tobio. Your hair's so messy."
"Huh?" Tobio blinks, trying to look up, only for his eyes to cross. He frowns, attempting to fix his bangs from how they sit on his forehead.
Shoyo snorts. "His rambutan-looking head is helpless."
Tobio snaps. "Why don't you go to a hairdresser, then, mop-hair?"
Shoyo is not at all phased. "No thanks! I don't want to end up with your fugly bangs!"
Tobio's brows furrow. "My bangs are not fugly."
Tadashi tries to stop a laugh escaping his his lips with his free hand. It sounds like he's choking instead. "Shoyo-kun-"
Miwa smirks at Tobio. "I told you it was too short."
Shoyo's jaw drops, looking at the woman. "You cut his hair?"
"I am a hairdresser, Shoyo."
"You are?!"
"You look like you live here and you didn't know?" Tsukishima raises a brow, the mango sushi between his chopsticks hanging around the air.
"It's fine, Kei-kun." Miwa slyly grins. "His hair's still nice like that, yeah? What do you think? Might need some feedback, after all."
Tobio's nose scrunches up. "What the fuck." Yeah, his sister is up to something. He doesn't even need to look at her face to figure out what it is.
But Tsukishima seemed to take it in stride, slighting huffing. "I guess." He gets a shove from Tadashi at that but he only rolls his eyes. Tobio tilts his head in confusion, even in the midst of not reacting at Tsukishima's reaction.
It's not a big deal. Definitely not. Tobio doesn't care about what Tsukishima thinks about his new updo. Not at all. Nope. Tobio sighs as quietly as possible, grabbing another tamago sushi.
...Who's he kidding?
"What a lovely evening we have, right, Tsukki?"
"...Why are you suddenly asking me that."
A sigh from Miwa. Distressed. Horribly so. "Ah, I forgot I brought the cake upstairs." She smiles at her brother. "Tobio, can you and Shoyo here bring it for us to eat?" How awful.
"I can do it myself-"
"Of course, Miwa-san!"
One moment and Tobio is suddenly getting pulled away from his seat, Shoyo tightly holding his hand towards the stairs as if his life depended on it. Tobio snaps his head back towards Miwa with an alarmed expression, "Nee-san-!"
Miwa just shoos him away with small waves using her hand, the other under her chin, as she watches him get dragged away with a grin. Leave it to me, her eyes say.
To hell, I will! Tobio had never liked someone before, so this is the first time he'd also seen his sister acting like this. He feels flustered at the thought that she thinks he needs her help with his thing with Tsukishima, of all things.
Taken back to reality, Tobio looks up from where he's seated on his bed, Shoyo just done with purposefully closing the door really loudly. We'll probably get complaints from that... Tobio gives Shoyo a look. "You andNee-sandon't have to do this."
"Of course, we do!" Shoyo debates, going to his chair in front of his desk, making himself spin while grabbing on its sides. "Tsukki's tooootally all over you!"
Tobio's whole face scrunches up. "Don't call him that. And he's not."
Shoyo scoffs. "First of all, there you go again, acting like him! Second-" He snickers. "You know I'm right."
"I don't need your help." This is enough for me. Tobio doesn't say anything else out-loud.
Exasperated, Shoyo huffs at him. "Yamayama, it's been years! Are you seriously not gonna confess?! You heard 'Dashi, we're graduating soon. Don't tell me you're only gonna do it when we're graduating and give him a button of yours!? Well- wait, that's kind of a great idea... hm."
Tobio feels his face slowly go into flames. "It hasn't be years. And I am not giving him my button at our graduation ceremony. I am not giving him anything, final."
Shoyo's brows furrow, assessing him. His face slightly falls. Tobio suddenly feels nervous. Then, Shoyo frowns at him. "Do you have no plans to confess? Ever?"
Tobio crosses his arms. "Are you seriously asking me that? It's Tsukishima."
"It's Tsukishima. Exactly." Shoyo's expression turning more and more concerned and a bit scared by the second. "You like him. It's obvious he does as well. Easy-peasy."
"No, he doesn't." Tobio knows saying it out-loud should feel somewhat painful, but he's already used to Tsukishima's own words. Nothing would ever be more painful than them, he knows. So he won't hear any rejection from those same lips. Tobio will avoid him like a plague if it comes down to it. For now, Tsukishima may never know.
It's enough.
"Tobio." Shoyo's face turns solemn, gray.
"Don't." Tobio weakly sighs. "We still have to grab that cake and return downstairs. And you're right, we're graduating, and we'll be apart. Things will be easier, then." Probably.
Tobio's never one for hoping, but everything relating to Tsukishima is a first for him. But, if he never moves on, then he'll leave it that way. He's been thinking about it over the winter break, tossing and turning at 1 AM on his bed that he couldn't do his morning run until eight. Pondering about it all like it's a volleyball match, between breakfast, folding up laundry, and removing snow from his window.
Without his intention, it became a routine. So, inevitably, he doesn't accept defeatㅡno, calling it that would be inaccurateㅡhe just complies with reality. Just like what he had always done in other events. It doesn't make him sorrowful that Tsukishima may never like him, or Tsukishima may never even be Kei for him, but Tobio does find himself thinking about the alternatives sometimes.
Alternatives where Tsukishima shares his feelings exactly like what Shoyo says. But, again, he's never been one for hopeful thinking. He lets himself imagine, but that's about it. He moves on with his day, does his chores, goes on a run, practices every day in their backyard so his body won't forget, and does it all over again with occasional comments by his head about Tsukishima this, Tsukishima that.
Thinking about Tsukishima is something that Tobio quickly realizes is now a norm for him. And he also accepts it just like that.
So he doesn't understand why Shoyo's jokes fall flat after they finally return with the cake. Doesn't know why Shoyo is more affected by it more than him.
Maybe there's something wrong with Tobio, after all.
He wasn't given the chance to dwell on it long enough when with just a moment after countless others, he's already accompanying Tadashi and Tsukishima to the front gate.
Tadashi grins, squeezing his arm. "I had so much fun today, Tobio-kun! Unfortunate that my mom didn't give me permission to have a sleep over..." He sadly sighs. But tries to brighten up again. "There's still another time, though! With Hitoka joining us as well, I hope."
"We'll need to do a presentation for Madoka-san for that." Tobio snorts, closing the gate without locking it behind him. It's already a known fact that Madoka is as cautious as her daughter.
Tadashi laughs. "That, we'll do!" He turns to Tsukishima who was adjusting his headphones around his neck. "You didn't forget about anything, Tsukki?"
"None. Let's go."
Before he could even turn around, Tadashi snatches his bicep and wraps a tight grip around him, a smile still on his face. "Bye, Tobio!"
Tsukishima glares at the hold. Tobio knows it'll probably leave marks later. ...And he leaves that thought immediately. Tsukishima sighs, snapping him out of it. "Good night, King."
Tobio blinks in surprise. Tsukishima actually didn't look forced as he said those words. He tilts his head. "Go home safe."
As it was turning a bit awkward, Tadashi chuckles again, and starts walking away, now wrapping an arm around Tsukishima's. "Thank you again, Tobio! See you after break!"
Watching them walk away, with Tsukishima's back already facing him in earlier steps, Tobio waves back until Tadashi turns away as well.
Inside, without the cold wind of the hour before midnight, Tobio sighs in relief as he steps back to the heated air of the house. He turns towards the stairs but he sees a figure moving on the couch. "Nee-san."
Miwa looks up at him from her head's position on the sofa's side rest. "Hey. Did they leave?"
"They did." Sitting on the floor, Tobio rests his back towards the sofa's feet. He doesn't flinch from curious fingers curling around his locks.
"You know, Shoyo told me something."
Tobio can't find it in himself to resist a sigh. "Nee-san."
"You're always described as a genius but..." Miwa's hand stops. Then, a lazy, no-effort, pat. "Tobio, what are we going to do with you."
Tobio frowns. He never liked that word. "Nothing. You don't have to do anything."
"Can I not want to see my little brother happy?"
"I am not sad about any of this."
"Happier, then? Tobio, at least lend me a hand here."
"There is nothing else to want." Tobio says, firm. He's starting to grow tired of this conversation. Is it hard to understand? It is that hard to understand him? "I don't know why you and Hinata are making a big deal out of this when it's not."
Miwa sits up, eyes narrowing, though the concern is not gone. It will never be gone. "Can't you see that's worrying?"
"Nee-san." He doesn't know how he looks, but he doesn't like the feeling of doubt starting to creep behind it. He had never doubted himself. He knows he's bad at studying. He knows he can set in a specific way if he trains hard enough and meticulously for it. He knows thinking otherwise about his feelings will not help him.
He knows.
...But is he right? Is he finally wrong? Does Tobio truly find it enough?
Is it enough?
"It's Tsukishima. Nee-san, it's him."
Ah.
Miwa is looking at him with a broken expression.
Is he crying?
No. He doesn't feel any wetness in his eyes. Just like back then. He had also been fussed on by his mother, at the time. Do you not feel anything? No- his mother, sweet and kind, and understanding, will never tell him that now. But she did, undeniably so, back then. While all Tobio could sees was his dull, wide eyes reflecting back at him, looking up at Kazuho's framed photo. It's the same one, just upstairs, a few walks away, even after all these years.
"Nee-san, I think there's something wrong with me."
Maybe it's the small but undeniably clueless quiverin his voice that he never knew he could do, or how he's starting to feel himself shivering from where he's sitting on the cold, tiled floor. Whatever it is, whatever Miwa saw, she holds out her arms and envelops him in a hug from where she could. A heavy one.
"Oh. Tobio- Oh... Why would you-" A choke-off sound, followed by a hitched breath. "Don't. Whoever told you that, you o-o-or anyone else-! It's not- it's not true. Don't believe it..."
Tobio looks down at her hands around his chest. He notices a new scar on one of her fingers. Maybe she had another incident with scissors, or the sharp edge of a counter. He puts his own roughened hands on top of Miwa's, marked throughout the countless years, and that just seemed to make her tremble even further. "I'm sorry." How her back is bent from the way she's resting her forehead on his shoulder is probably painful.
"Don't." Miwa's words turn to steel, close-ended. "Don't ever say sorry to me. You hear me? Tobio? We- w-we never needed that between us. Okay? Okay?"
Tobio swallows, closing his eyes. "Okay. Nee-san." He leans his head on top of hers. He hears her wetly chuckle before hugging him tighter, if it were ever possible.
She had always been that. Years before he was even born, Miwa was already there. They had once shared their love for volleyball, and then they didn't. Their similarity, as siblings, still pushed through, however, even with their different ambitions. Maybe it's in the nature of a Kageyama. Tobio knows their parents settled for work in Singapore because the branch of the company they shared was more hands-on there than in Japan. They had strived for what they want, and also the best outcome for them.
Miwa is no different. Even if she had technically already moved out months ago, owning her own studio in Sendai, she still comes home on weekends for Tobio. Even when Tobio knows how to cook outside of frozen meals, Miwa insists with an easy squeeze on his shoulder behind him. She always asks about practice, about volleyball, even if she's not driven towards it herself anymore. Without fail, she always drove him towards his entrance ceremony, ever since their parents left, ever since-
Ever since Kazuyo had died, Miwa is the only one who didn't tiptoe around it with Tobio. She had stood there with him, in the same colors at his funeral. In those days, he saw her wiping away teers with her sleeve, but she had never cried in front of Tobio. She only asks questions, letting Tobio answer however he wants. With it, those same questions are the same. Direct. When she can help it, Miwa never lies to Tobio.
If she ever truly did, Tobio doesn't mind.
Because that's what they are. Little brother. Older sister. Hugging it out when the waterworks choose to malfunction, courtesy of Miwa. But no, she had never blamed Tobio for not crying, never even asks him about it. She knows when to ask questions, and she also knows when not to. She always gives Tobio so much space.
Tobio thinks it feels much better when that same concept of space vanishes with Miwa's hugs.
For how long, Tobio doesn't know, they stayed just like that on the couch. Then, maybe, the pain on her back is finally more noticeable than those long moments, because slowly, Miwa loosens her hold around Tobio's torso. Not wholly, however, as she lets her right arm stay wrapped around Tobio's neck while she stretches her back. "Fuck, that hurts."
In the dark, even with one of the lights still turned on from the kitchen side, it's hard to fully see Miwa's face, but a flicker of light from the windows gives Tobio a glimpse on the tear-tracks on her cheeks. Miwa noticed him looking. She slightly grins. "Do I look horrid?"
Tobio shakes his head. "No."
"I'll trust you on that." She gives him a teasing look. Then, after a millisecond for a flash of hesitation, Miwa kisses him on the cheek. Another rare occurrence. "Don't forget what I said. Between the ugly sobbing and all."
I promise you, Tobio... Someday.
Just hearing that from you... Just that... makes it feel like coming here was worth something.
Don't forget what you've done today, Tobio.
Don't forget.
Tobio lets out a soft breath. "I won't."
Finally being left by Miwa to go upstairs and join Shoyo in his room, the older woman wanting to stay up more on the couch while fiddling with her phone, Tobio quietly opens his door, only to be surprised to find Shoyo tapping away on his phone while sitting on his bed, though he has a blanket wrapped around his head, securing it close with his free hand.
At the sound of the door, Shoyo looks up and snaps his phone shut. "That took a while."
Tobio snorts. "Did you listen in?"
Shoyo huffs at him, offended that he even suggested such a thing while crossing his arms. "Who do you think I am!" His moving legs over the bed doesn't help with the intimidation, if that's what he's attempting.
Tobio sighs, and they leave it at that. "Scoot over."
Shoyo stands up. Tobio lays on his bed, half-sitting up, with his back on his bedpost and the wall behind it. He thought Shoyo was going to jump down to his futon on the floor, but no, he jumped on top of Tobio instead. The setter only groans at the painful jab on his abdomen. "Fucking hell..."
Shoyo sheepishly chuckles. "Sorry about that." Then, unceremoniously, he drops his head down on Tobio's chest, looking at him.
Tobio is turned away, opening his flip phone. He replies to Tadashi texting him that he and Tsukishima got home safely with a few taps on the keyboard.
"Hey. Hey, Yamayama."
"What."
"...Kageyama."
"What?"
"Sorry for ruining the other half of the night."
Tobio takes a glance towards Shoyo but finds him fully covering his face, as if trying to fuse with Tobio's sweatshirt.
"You didn't. Don't overthink it."
A snort. "I won't." A loud exhale on his clothed torso. "...I'm just worried about you, you know that, right? Kageyama?"
"I know."
A sigh, then a soft tap on his hips. Then a few more as Shoyo says, "Good." Slowly, he finally reveals his face, but only half of them, and he has his eyes averted from Tobio who already closed his phone. "There's nothing bad about not confessing, anyway. Confessions are overrated."
"What? You'd kill me if I don't make you my Best Man in ten years?"
"Hm. ...No. I still need to beat you."
Tobio finds it difficult to even haphazardly chuckle with Shoyo's weight resting more on his stomach. "Good luck with that."
A groan towards his chest.Then, Shoyo shows his whole face, at long last, greeting Tobio with a sleepy glare. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but can you not make any conversation go back to volleyball?!"
Tobio closes his eyes, covering it with his arm. "I'm a volleyball player."
A peeved grunt. "You're so annoying. I take back all the kindness I have given you."
"Do what you want."
"See? Annoying!"
Tobio looks down at him again, exhausted. "Are you not tired. It's already midnight."
Shoyo pouts, then is betrayed by a yawn breaking through his face. "Nh... Ah- fuck. It's already this late...? Whad'ya say about a 7 AM jog later, Yamayama?"
Tobio clicks his tongue. "Too late."
"Hey! Six hours rule, hello?"
"Get off already."
"Ugh. Fine..."
As expected now, Shoyo only tucks himself beside Tobio on his barely-double bed. Wrapping that same blanket he had around himself go over both of their legs. With twitching brows, Tobio tosses Shoyo's hand away somewhere beside his face. He hears Shoyo shortly giggle, then, a quieter sigh.
Exactly a week later is when Shoyo finally leaves the Kageyama house to go back to his own. That same week, Shoyo had been clingier than what is normal with the two years they have known each other. Tobio couldn't find it in himself to reject the spiker's own form of apology, which is being more irritating than the usual, if it could even be possible.
Every sudden piggy back, every pull on his arm and clothes, every suggestion of trashy horror movies, Tobio let him. They're graduating in a few months, after all.
Tobio finds himself spending the rest of spring break testing new dishes with Miwa, who took time off and grabbed some of her things back in Sendai. Tobio didn't question her, and just complied with being her little kitchen assistant, grabbing spices and cutting vegetables. On the last day, Miwa wanted to make a mille-feuille and they almost evaporated the soup into complete oblivion, and Tobio consoled her about it with a few pats on her back and carefully finishing his portions. It didn't taste that bad, maybe just a bit dry.
On the day of going to practice while being a third year for the first time, Tobio didn't feel any different. It was routine, waiting for a panting Shoyo for the keys to the gym and simply saying, "That's another win for me," then watching a satisfying, nasty scowl form on Shoyo's face. They put up the net and put back lost balls back to their proper place. Then they stretch, competing who can do it the fastest and ultimately straining a painful muscle along the way from the rush.
Thirty minutes later, Teramoto and Okane will join them with greetings. After they stretch themselves, they join Tobio and Shoyo on jumping drills. A few minutes and it'll be Yoshido still wearing his earphones, shortly followed by Tadashi and a yawning Tsukishima.
An hour in, with Ukai and Takeda already there as well, they all clap for Ito who stammered in embarrassment, apologizing profusely from being late. Shoyo, being closest to the junior's proximity, just loudly laughs while smacking his back.
He wants to be Ryunosuke so bad. "You want to be Ryu-san so bad."
"So what?!" Shoyo quacks, pointing a volleyball at him with a hand around it. "I'm reserving the number 5, by the way!"
Tobio rolls his eyes. "It's all yours."
Drinking on the bench for a quick water break, Teramoto claps. "New jerseys!" He turns to Yoshida beside him. "What number will you be getting?"
Yoshida pulls on the tape around his fingers, making them tighter. "Whatever number's left."
Teramoto whines. "Lame!" Then, he beams at his senpai's, then Ukai. "Ah! Can I have the number 8? That's my lucky number!"
Ukai chuckles. "It'll be a few more days before we start organizing that. For now, though-" Sounds of conversation is heard from outside. Ukai's lips quip further, pointing a thumb towards the open gym doors. "The new young'ins are finally here."
"AH! H-hello! Sorry for the intrusion!"
"Hi!"
"Kaoru, stop hiding behind me!"
"Ugh..."
Tadashi steps in, a warm smile on his face. "Hello! Would you guys like to introduce yourself first?"
The first student with dark purple hair in short strands past his eyebrows gapes at Tadashi before seemingly collecting himself, grinning back. "Ous! I'm Ishida Koma! A spiker, senpai!"
Tadashi chuckles at the confidence, before turning to the others. "And you guys?"
A guy with long silver hair tied in a high ponytail is suddenly pushed in front by another with wavy, bleached hair that ends just on his nape. The former jumps as if getting electrocuted, then snaps his head back with a glare. "Hiro...!!!"
Said 'Hiro' just laughs. "Go! Introduce yourself!"
With a reddening face that is slightly worrying, the guy turns back to Tadashi, looking away from the gathered seniors, and fiddles with his fingers. "Hello. My name's Nakano Kaoru. I both specialize in blocking and spiking. It's nice to meet you." Then he bows.
An impressed, "Wow..." from Ito is heard from behind, immediately followed by Teramoto's exasperated, "Dude."
The blonde one from earlier stands beside Nakano, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He doesn't look back at Nakano's unpleased glower at him as he introduces himself with a grin, "Hayakawa Hiro, at your service! I play offense!"
On Hayakawa's left, a guy with an impressive pink hair slicked back by small braids across his temple to the back waves shyly, a bit awkward. "I'm Usui Ibuki. I'm also a spiker and do jump floats..."
Finally, Shoyo, watching it all with hands on his hips, throws his head back, laughing. "Four members in every year?! Are we cursed or what."
Tadashi's brow twitches. "Shoyo-kun."
Shoyo immediately shuts up and looks up at the ceiling, as if it was one inside a church, with the impressive stained glass and all. Tobio, spinning a volleyball that he's still holding on his hand, snorts. "You deserved that."
"Shut up." Shoyo grumbles, elbowing him on the side.
Tobio just huffs, spinning with both his hands now while the second years introduce themselves to the new members. He doesn't hear it all, distracted by Shoyo's little annoying comments about how they can now make a rainbow from how many hair colors they have on the team. Until he is finally cut off by loud running from outside.
"Ah! I think that's Yachi-san, she-"
"Hey- Eh? Hitoka?!"
Said manager was panting to the floor for dear life on all fours, clearly busy from the hour and a half she hadn't joined them. Hitoka looks up, eyes still closed, sweat making her bangs stick in different directions on her forehead. "SORRY FOR BEING L-ATE!" Her voice cracks in the end.
With a swift motion, Tsukishima leans down to give her a bottle of water. Hitoka looks at him as if he were a God. "T-thank- thank... you, Kei..!" Then, with large gulps, she empties the bottle in one go, immediately sighing in relief. "Ah, sorry! Sorry for interrupting your introductions! I've just been running around to find-"
"Hello."
Now finally with all the attention to her, a girl in the school tracksuit, short hair braided into two with ash brown bangs, raises a hand. "I'm here for a visit as a potential co-manager. Asato Hoshino, from 2-4." Her right hand is raised. "And this is Sasaki-kun."
The boy, with short, dark blonde bangs, bows. "H-hello!" He fixes the glasses that sit on his nose along the way. "I'm Sasaki Mirai. I'm here for a visit as well. P-pleasure to meet you...!"
"AH!" A surprised yell pierces through the gym. Everyone turns and it's Ito, jaw on the floor, pointing at Hoshi. "HOSHI?!"
"Ah." Asato herself has her mouth curving onto an 'o', before her eyes seemed to gleam. "Hi, Maki-kun."
"Eh? Eh...?"
All occupants in the room looks back and forth at the two. Then, Teramoto claps, big grin on his face. "Ah! Tamaki, isn't Hoshi the girl you had a crush on in elementary school? That's amazing!"
"Oh, no."
Crimson in the face, and in the neck-all over his body that shows, Tamaki slowly droops down to the floor with a thud.
Somewhere, Okane is laughing, "Aoki-kun, your bluntness...! It killed Ito!"
"Someone! Get a fan! W-water...!!!"
The rest of the new first years slowly turn to look at Tadashi for dear help. Tadashi turns to Hitoka.
She was just finishing up re-tying her short ponytail from its bird's nest-like state. "Hm? What? Tadashi?" She cluelessly smiles.
Tadashi turns to Tobio who was halfway through his exit, and pulls him back with a strong hold on his shoulder. "Tobio-kun. We're in this together, you hear me, Vice-Captain?" He probably works out in secret. That strength doesn't come out of nowhere.
...
"...Sure."
From the eventful introductions, practice before class turned out to be more normal than expected, with a few exceptions from Ito awkwardly trying to talk to Hoshino, still pink in the face, while the latter is taking everything with stride, looking unfazed at all.
Unphased from it all with three years of experience carried on his bag, Tobio just goes on as usual and refreshes the feeling of practicing inside the gym instead of his backyard, even after just a short while. There's also being asked questions by the new first years, more so Ishida and Hayakawa, their enthusiasm rather visible compared to the other reserved two who were off asking questions to Okane instead.
Another few that he'll have to get used to, have to remember proper names and proper roles. Tobio hums to himself at the thought of another new beginning.
Later in the afternoon, Tobio is off washing his air from one of the faucets outside the gym, when he hears footsteps stopping and an exclamation of surprise. He doesn't acknowledge Tadashi's presence and just lets the other do his thing.
A while after, Tadashi finally spoke, "Tobio-kun. Do you have plans after this?"
Tobio is not at all bothered by the sudden question. He finds that Tadashi likes asking those. "No. It's only the first day."
Tadashi chuckles. "No, I mean-" He sighs, smile still plastered as he leans towards the front of one of the sinks behind them. "After all of... this." His hand gestures around the air.
"Ah." He means volleyball. Giving it a thought, Tobio watches himself wipe down the excess water on his hand and locks with the towel on his shoulder, then gazes out at the far sakura trees beside the walls of the school grounds. "I'll be playing until my body can't play anymore. When that happens, then," Tobio levels that gaze with Tadashi's unreadable ones. "Hm. I don't know. It's way too soon to plan all of it yet."
Tadashi falters under his watch. Then, he grins with his eyes closed, turning away, resigned. "I'll be quitting volleyball in college. Probably get an engineering or finance degree for a decent job."
Tobio knows not everyone is like him. He knows not everyone will follow through with volleyball. He had seen it with his sister, and with his senpai's. He'll continue to see it again.
"You'll do well." Wherever he might end up, Tobio knows that Tadashi will be efficient in what he does, just like with his serves, with his team spirit, and now also with his long-time leadership.
Blinking, Tadashi seemed to assess Tobio. Then, he smiles, warmer than the last, more freer than the next. "Thank you. I'll be there in the crowd for you, as payback!"
Tobio doesn't like the resolution in his voice. "Win with me first."
This seems to stun Tadashi into silence, unmoving beside him. Tobio, wondering if he said something wrong, faces the captain with furrowed brows only to be shocked himself when Tadashi starts laughing, loudly with no care in the world.
Tobio doesn't know what's supposed to be funny, but at least it didn't seem like it's because he was being rude. In that afternoon lighting with sunlight peeking through the roofs and leaves, Tadashi's laugh was beaming like that same, burning star, watching with the meaning of his name.
At some point, they were closer than a few inches, making it easier for Tadashi to lean his head on Tobio's shoulder, looking up at him with a smile. "You're a great friend, Tobio-kun."
Tobio's breath slightly catches, before tilting his head. "Not more than you." There's that warmth again. Maybe Tadashi is more of a star than he had thought.
It makes Tadashi giggle towards his hand, leaning away a little before crossing his arms with an amused glint in his eyes. "What is this, a competition?" He sighs, tapping the side of his lips. "Ah. It might be time for us to come back, my dear Vice. They could've already burned the net down with the time we've been here."
Tobio joins him on the walk back to the gym. "Tsukishima won't let that happen."
Tadashi chuckles again. "Not Shoyo-kun?" He sighs, smile permanent on his expression. "Alright. Of course, Tsukki wouldn't."
Out of everything, what Tobio couldn't figure out was why Tadashi turned even more amused when Tsukishima was brought to the conversation by him, specially.
Weeks later, just a few days before a practice match with a school they played in Nationals the past year, there is a crowd gathered in front of the gym doors just as Tobio was walking towards it. He had run a bit late because a classmate asked him to do their cleaning duty in exchange for lunch tomorrow, and he didn't have a problem with it.
Shoyo, leaning on one of the gym doors, was throwing his head back with a laugh, and when Tobio's walking figure is noticed, the spiker's expression turns awfully devilish and he cheers. "Look who's finally here!" He sing-songs.
Tobio's brows furrow at the suspicious behavior that is a bit different from other times. "Huh. What-"
"Ah! Kageyama-senpai!" The juniors chorus.
"...What is happening."
"Tobio-kun!" Wrapping a gentle arm around his back then his arm, Tadashi pops out from his right and walks to him. "Well, you see, someone was looking for you and we didn't know you were occupied so-"
In the middle of the crowd that his teammates have formed, there's a guy clad in the Karasuno uniform, his hair past the jaw and slicked back between his ears with a hair tie. With the sight of Tobio, he jumps. "K-K-Kageyama-senpai..!!"
Finding himself squinting his eyes then then blinking with realization at the sight of gold earrings, Tobio stares at the underclassman. "Taiga?" He sounds unsure himself.
Taiga's mouth parts, shaking on the edges. "Senpai, you r-remember me?"
Not hearing the 'ooooh's around them and the reddening of Taiga's face growing worse from the attention, Tobio hums. "You're Toma's brother." The classmate who asked him earlier to do the cleaning duties. Huh.
Then, Taiga erupts into a bright smile. "Yes! My brother, he-" As if catching himself saying something he shouldn't have, the kouhai brings a hand to cover his face with a flustered expression before looking down again, glancing at Tobio then back at the ground between his words, "Um. Senpai, can I talk to you in p-private..?"
Before Tobio could even form a proper reply, there goes Shoyo, wrapping an arm around Tobio's torso then dragging Taiga along with a pointed laugh. "Of course, you can! Alright, off you go now-"
From the sound of the gym doors closing behind them, Tobio turns to Taiga with question, who just sheepishly smiled. The setter lets himself get led to a familiar bench behind their building. There, cherry blossoms seemed to continuously fall, but it just makes Tobio wonder more what is happening.
For a few beats, him and Taiga just stand there without speaking, and Tobio's starting to get worried about practice, until, finally, Taiga speaks. "Did- w-was nee-chan's cleaning duty hard for you, senpai?" He looks up at Tobio.
Tobio blinks at the sudden question, then shakes his head. "No. It was only cleaning the windows."
Taiga's nervous expression turns into a relieved smile. "Really? I'm glad." But then he fervently shakes his arms in front of him. "Ah, b-but that's not the reason why I dragged you here, it's-" He releases a shaky breath. The junior's expression turns earnest, uncowering unlike his last state inside the gym. "Kageyama-senpai. I... I like you."
Tobio's mind empties out. "Hah?" He didn't expect that. He really didn't expect that.
Seeing something in his expression, Taiga's flustered persona returns. "Ah. U-u-um, what I mean is- ah- senpai, please tell me if I am being t-too straightforward, I-I apologize-"
"No." Tobio clears his throat. "No. I was just- I was just startled."
"Oh." Taiga gulps. "Oh. Then, um- I-I- I really have just..." He bows his head, clutching his uniform with his fists. "I really admire you, senpai..! The first time I saw you play in Nationals, y-you-" Looking up, there is only pure, and solidified awe that Tobio is presented with. "You were incredible! A-and with my nee-chan's inputs, I just continued to like you more, and it just hit me that you're graduating and that's-" Taking a deep breath, Taiga clutches those same hands towards his chest and straightens up, finally facing Tobio. "I would have felt so much regret if I didn't tell you about my true feelings and you were already gone."
Regret. A topic that seemed to be more and more relevant in Tobio's life as it continued. This, counted with just one hand, Tobio had been confessed to before. But never not a girl. It's something, truthfully surprising, Tobio can admit that. But those worries, regret, and who is what, he had never thought much about it. All he wanted in his life was volleyball.
He can sense the sincerity in Taiga's confession, Some, others, they always talked about his looks, and yes, how cool he was, but here, he didn't know Taiga went to watch one of their matches, perhaps even a couple more. Truthfully, Tobio only knew the junior because he was always going to their classroom for his older brother at lunch time. Maybe, those times, Tobio's now starting to realize, was probably Taiga's way to visit and see him as well.
The thought makes Tobio slightly embarrassed. He had always felt awkward about accepting letters and gifts from those that had confessed to him, even with how rare it was. But Taiga didn't bring anything else but his confession. And Tobio already feels guilty himself for taking long for an answer, with how Taiga's starting to get more and more jittery in front of him.
But he won't feel guilty about his own sincere words that comes next. "Taiga. I... acknowledge your feelings, but I-" The more he spoke, the more Taiga grew quiet, but Tobio wanted to be direct. He shook his head at the resonated guilt. "I already like someone else."
"Oh..." Taiga croaks out. He fiddles with his hand. "I- I-I don't know why I'm disappointed, I knew I never stood a chance..." He bitterly chuckled. Tobio frowns. "Well!" Taiga loudly sighs, bringing a loose strand of his hair to play with it between his fingertips, avoiding Tobio's gaze. "Thank you for your time, Kageyama-senpai, I-I'll be excusing myself now-"
That won't do. Tobio clicks his tongue, getting a gentle hold on Taiga's arm. He sighs when the junior flinches at the contact, still turned away from him. "Taiga."
"...Yes. Senpai?"
"I want to thank you about going to our matches." Tobio says, finally letting go of him. "And supporting me. I never noticed you went with Toma to them."
Taiga's chuckle sounds forced, visibly confused that Tobio is still talking to him. "Y-yes, well..." His lips quiver. "Senpai, can I go now?" It's a direct request for an out.
But Tobio wants him to understand. "Just because I don't like you back doesn't mean you have to avoid following Karasuno. Taiga, do you like volleyball?"
As if air is knocked out of him, Taiga's eyes snap up to Tobio, startled. "What? I- W-well.. I..." He bit his lip. "I first found it difficult to understand but... it's not that different with other sports. I admire anyone who can do things that I can't." He levels his gaze towards Tobio.
Tobio doesn't mind it. "Hm. Well." He finds himself chuckling. "Then that's enough. I'm glad you didn't force yourself to watch us just because of me."
Taiga shook his way. "No, no! Last year, I already heard about how strong our school was that we reached Nationals so I was curious. Then, I saw you when I was in your classroom for Nee-chan."
Ah. So he was right. Tobio was about to quip with something else when Taiga suddenly chuckled. He tilts his head, questioning.
"Senpai, is this your way of hooking me in to volleyball? I... wow, it might just be working, I can't believe this." Taiga laughs towards his hand. Tobio feels himself grow amused, but the younger interrupts him again. "I'm- please don't expect that I'll be moving on that easily, that's not-" He sighs. "But if I'm taking your words correctly, I'll-" He smiles at Tobio. "I'll be continuing to support you and Karasuno from afar, Kageyama-senpai! If you'd let me."
Tobio can't help it. Just like Ito, he's finding he has a soft spot for those that look at him like he's bigger than the whole sky with genuine admiration. Maybe he is just like his sister and senpai's, after all. He pats Taiga's head two times, a quick motion but it makes the kouhai go rigid and crimson all the same. "You don't have to do it from afar. My teammates are good people."
He ends it with that, knowing he has nothing else to say and Taiga is probably done with his. He leaves the invite with Taiga and starts going back to the gym. Tobio does not find any fault within those romantic feelings, because they are imbedded with admiration towards his team and what he does, what he will be doing for a living. It's wrong for him to not acknowledge such a thing.
What he will share with Taiga, however, is admiring someone who can't do things he can't. Tobio finds that that regret Taiga was talking about is a thing to admire, because Tobio can't find that same regard of regret within himself.
Inside the gym, with the sight of him, everyone quickly circles Tobio, yells of questions and absurd commentary.
"Our Tobio-kun is just so handsome, isn't he!" Shoyo coos, nuzzling a cheek on Tobio's arm.
Tobio's brow twitches. He pushes Shoyo away with practiced force that the spiker successfully ended up on the floor. "Shut up!"
"Man, Taiga's so cool for even confessing like that." Teramoto nods to himself, lazily resting an arm beside Ito who was wiping his forehead for him. "I always saw him asking around for Kageyama-senpai since last year. Never knew he had the guts to commit to it."
Okane, re-stretching his legs on the floor, turns his attention towards their senpai. "Did he give you a love letter?"
Tobio shook his head while still tossing Shoyo's head left and right with a tight hold on the back of his head, a motion that was followed by Sasaki, Usui and Ishida with their eyes, different expressions on their faces. "No. I told him to continue coming to our matches. He told me that he went to our match with Inarizaki last year."
Tadashi chokes around a breath. "Wow, you-" He blinks rapidly, turning to Tsukishima as if to ask if he heard the same as him. Tsukishima only drank on his water bottle from the side. "Tobio-kun, I knew you were blunt, but, asking out a junior like that is a bit..." He winced, eyeing Tsukishima again.
Tobio doesn't know where Tadashi's getting at. "I didn't ask him out. I only told him to not stop supporting us just because of me." Or why he keeps giving looks towards Tsukishima when the middle blocker doesn't seem to care about what's happening. Tobio's long grown used to Tsukishima going uninterested when the topic is centered around him.
Shoyo, now finally escaping from his hold, loudly sighed. "Seriously, Yamayama? This one chance you caught a date and you blew it off!"
Tobio raised a brow at him. "What the hell are you talking about. You know I already like someone."
"Senpai does?!"
"Oh, wow."
"Oh, wow."
"Tobio-kun l-likes someone?!"
Tobio's confused that Hitoka doesn't know, then he remembers she wasn't there when they- Right. "Hitoka-"
Tadashi, still with that nervousness around him, steps close to him. "Tobio-kun, are you sure about announcing that out loud just like that..."
Tobio finds that Tadashi might be worried that Tsukishima might know about his feelings. But that possibility is zero to none. Tobio doesn't mind. If their kouhai's will know as well, that's also not a problem. Besides, they'll never really know.
Unless Shoyo decides when to finally shut up. "Aww! Kageyama, I never knew you could be so romantic-"
Tobio's face scrunches up like he swallowed a whole lemon. "Shut up!"
Tadashi, seemingly finally recovered from his dilemma, sighs. "Shoyo-kun." He shakes his head, putting his hands on his hips, voice going loud. "Alright, alright! We still have two more hours left for practice. Everyone, come on-"
Teramoto and Ito, wanting more of the drama with curiosity on who their beloved senpai had feelings for, whined before getting pulled away by a laughing Okane. Hitoka was busy assisting Asato with Ukai on something on the side a while back, and a grumpy Yoshida was being dragged for a 2 on 2 with Ishida.
But Hayakawa, the curious boy that he is, and having been very upfront with Tobio from the start and not finding his senpai scary compared to the other first years, questions that same senpai with a smile. "Who's that person you like, then, senpai?"
Tobio doesn't find himself startled by the questioning, however, and just finds his gaze drifting away, far then near familiar ones. Tsukishima had long stood up from his position on the floor and was stretching his arms in front of the net on the same side as Ishida's side of the court. Detecting the attention in some way, Tsukishima gazes back at Tobio, not betraying anything.
Hm. These days, Tobio can't seem to feel flustered when Tsukishima's attention is on him anymore. He still feels that warmth; it seems it may never go away, but it's more of a rare fact rather than the end of the world. He can't seem to do anything else other than relishing under that scrutiny, or whatever those eyes are trying to convey. They're still unfamiliar to him, somewhat. But he can't run away from the unknown forever.
So why not just face it head on?
Look. Tobio raises a brow at the middle blocker, as if he wasn't the one who was looking, in the first place. He watches Tsukishima's stare flickering, before he looked away with a scoff. Look at me. Keep your eyes on me. You asshole.
Turning towards Hayakawa who looked like he saw something he shouldn't have, seemingly flustered, Tobio hums. "You don't know them." Biting though that lie purely with his bared teeth, he walks away to do drills with the other second years.
That mentioned practice match with Aoba Johsai is where they all find themselves in the first week of June. It becomes its own tradition of sorts, long after the two generations of seniors. There, the youngest are now the oldest, and yet it doesn't change anything. The two teams are still rivaling and up for the challenge to figure each other out over and over again.
Their respective jerseys have long been printed and delivered, and with the number 2 weighing on his back, Tobio doesn't feel it. Across the net, he sees Kunimi adorning the same number. The spiker levels his gaze with him. "Kageyama." It's his own form of greeting.
"Kunimi." Tobio nods.
"Don't go easy on us, Kunimi-kun!" Someone really just had to ruin it. Tobio rolls his eyes at Shoyo, his long hair bouncing as he warmed his legs up with high jumps.
Raising a brow himself, Kunimi's lips quirk up. "Sure." And that's that.
Tobio side-eyes his teammate. "Do you have nothing else to do."
Lips curling in distaste, Tobio gets a hold on his elbow and stretches it behind his head. "Unfortunate."
"Big word." Tsukishima's sudden presence is all but cutting. Tobio glances at him and finds that he doesn't need to look up that much anymore.
"I'm going to ask Ukai-san to switch you with Yoshida later."
Tsukishima scoffs, making the back of his sports glasses snap at the motion of his finger. He looks down at Tobio. "I'd like to see you try, Your Highness."
The sound of the whistle is the cue for Tobio to smirk, satisfied with the exchange. He waits for the serve on the opposite side of the court.
The match took a bit longer than expected, courtesy to Aoba Johsai pulling for a comeback. Both teams showed new strategies with their new first years, but the quirks of Karasuno is all but unrelenting. They win with 27-25. Until the next, then the last. The sun was already setting by the time they have finished and all players did their own rituals right after. Some settled for drinking water then talking with the others on the bleachers, others conversing with the other team.
But for Tobio, the walk to one of the lockers in Aoba Johsai's school grounds was familiar already, though he never really frequented the trip much for the past three years except for practice matches and trying to spy. Maybe it's more curiosity towards their rival school, though never less when it comes to the drinks they have available that Karasuno doesn't.
On that last turn on the left does Tobio find the peach and white vending machine. Perhaps habits will die hard when he finds himself clicking on a vanilla coffee's blue button instead of the strawberry-flavored milk he planned before leaving the gym. Compared to the last which is now almost a year ago, Tobio is not being haunted by sleepless nights anymore.
So maybe there won't be a repeat of that one faithful night. Hm. Just thinking of it makes Tobio's heart ache. It's a wonder, these new feelings of his. Between those homemade meals and late-night talks on rare weekends, Tobio started telling Miwa everything. How it came to be, and how it will continue to be.
Between many other things, with graduation, offered contracts, and the meaning of this career he'd been holding onto, Tobio finds that he really does understand it better if the things he finds hard, he sees and talks about in volleyball terms. But that's it, from all those things, Tsukishima is always tied to them.
The same grade, same study session, same celebrations, same team, and maybe, maybe... No. Tobio might be forever faithful to volleyball but Tsukishima has other things outside of his. The setter said so himself towards Miwa.
"He's good with other things but I only know volleyball. Why should I tie him down when I know he doesn't like being told what to do?"
Wistful thinking is not possible with Tsukishima and him, because from the start, it had been difficult. Now, maybe at ease, but not all-too easy. Not yet. Or just- not. There's that confusion and uncertainty that is always brought up whenever Tobio might think of the damned blond middle blocker. So Tobio will continue on with volleyball, and he'll watch Tsukishima find something in his many choices.
"Ah. Kageyama."
Looking up as he snaps out of the daze of his thoughts, Tobio finds Kunimi awkwardly standing there, hand on his pocket as if reaching in for something. Tobio gently slides a finger slowly on the coldness of his coffee.
"Kunimi." Tobio stares at the ex-teammate.
With a twitch of his lip, Kunimi slightly shakes his head and steps close to the vending machine. Tobio steps away from it so the other can buy his drink. He then looks down at his own, finding words to be difficult.
Their interactions can be called somewhat improved after their first years, but maybe a more accurate way of describing it is being there. They're members of teams that rival each other while also having a not-so-pretty past together. But Tobio finds that he never hated Kunimi, at all. Or Kindaichi.
"Do you have practice after this?"
Kunimi jumps, as if not expecting he'd be talked to. He coughs, letting go of the straw of his chocolate carton drink. He drums on it with a finger the same way Tobio finds himself to be doing with his coffee. "...Yeah. There's Interhigh, after all."
Tobio hums. He feels satisfied with the answer. Interhigh is important, after all, so it's logical to focus on improving and preparing for it. But, he also finds other things important, so Tobio catches himself saying, "Kunimi, will you be continuing as a volleyball player after graduation?"
At that question, Kunimi all but gapes. Tobio watches him go through different expressions, until finally settling with looking down at the ground. "I... didn't know you were that curious about me."
Tobio blinks. "I'm just wondering. Don't force yourself."
Kunimi flinches again. His mouth forms an 'o', trying to find something in Tobio's face that the latter can't figure out, before grimacing then half-smilingㅡthat's what it looks like to Tobio. "Force myself..." The spiker echoes. He shakes his head. "Kageyama, you- you really... have changed."
"I have?" Now, it's Tobio's turn to be a bit bewildered. He takes a moment to think about it. Maybe he did. These months, there isn't that explosiveness he found himself doing back in their first year, and Hitoka mentioned it one time which is when Tobio truly realized it was something he used to do. So, he hasㅡchanged, that is. But, Kunimi knows the Tobio from middle school, and perhaps that's also enough of an explanation.
"You did." Kunimi's lips curl, resting his back on the vending machine's clear glass display. He glances when Tobio does the same thing but on the opposite end, but returns his gaze towards the setting in front of them. "Kindaichi made me realize it, actually. Back in... back in our first year. Well." He coughed out what could be described as a laugh. "You have a new team, after all."
Tobio thinks of yelling at Yuu for a fixable mistake. He thinks of complimenting Shoyo for a receive for the first time. He thinks of a tight hold around his shoulders and saying things might be worth it, after all. He thinks of pats on the head and running drills towards the top of a hill. He thinks of bowing as ten hands grasp diplomas with a smile.
"I do." Tobio simply nods.
Kunimi seemed to finally find something significant in his expression, as his eyes widened and his lips lay gaping between his straw. Tobio blinks back. "What is it?"
"Nothing." After the loud exclamation, Kunimi clears his throat, pocketing his empty hand inside his jacket. "Nothing." He repeats more calmly. "You just... ah. Really, Kageyama, how much do I really know you?"
As if those words were not meant to be said, Kunimi turns silent and Tobio considers it. But, Kunimi recovers faster than his last quirks and clears his throat. "I'm probably... not gonna continue volleyball anymore."
Expecting it, Tobio hums with a nod. "That's fine."
Chuckling at the response, Kunimi leans his head back, looking at Tobio. "I won't even ask because I know you'll be recruited easily after graduation."
Tobio sips on his coffee first, licking his lips. "Maybe."
"Maybe?" Kunimi's lips quirk up even more. "You think you won't be scouted? You will. Even I heard you have offers already."
The finality amuses Tobio. He hums. "The future is not fixed."
"That, it is." Sighing, Kunimi looks away, turning to his side. Tobio finds himself doing the watching, now. "Maybe things could be easier that way." But Tobio doesn't expect to Kunimi to lock eyes with him again, them now facing each other. "I'm not good at this, Kageyama. But, are we not going to talk about it?"
Seeing his reflection displayed on hazel eyes that almost seemed like it showed those years they have spent beside each other, though they were never close, Tobio finds that it's easy to see himself back then. It's a routine like no other, now unfamiliar to him. Call out, set, an empty spot, thenㅡyelling. Way too many yelling. Courtesy of him.
If that was 'it', then Tobio doesn't know how to talk about it. But he doesn't like the guilt that shows in that almost empty gaze. He doesn't like seeing it reflecting on Kunimi's face. "What is there to talk about? You didn't do anything."
Anything can mean anything. Wrong, right; it's not a linear path towards an answer, let alone countless other ones. Maybe, if they had done this back then, a conversation more rare than others, perhaps even a sacred one, it would be easy for Tobio to say it still hurts. He thought that'd be it, that he'd need to learn to do everything on his own that he became desperate enough to say all of those declarations out loud just so he can enter the gym in Karasuno. If it was him, if it was all up to him-
But Tobio had already successfully done that years ago, with the help of Shoyo and Ryunosuke, and the others. He's already in Karasuno, and it's already his team. He doesn't have to do anything by himself anymore. There, he realizes that Kunimi doesn't know any of it. That won't do.
Tobio doesn't catch the way Kunimi snaps his head back towards him, with a difficult expression that doesn't know what to do with itself. He only grows witness to the way a speechless breath leaves Kunimi's lips, before he covers them, eyes tight-knit. "...I really didn't. We didn't do anything. And that's the problem."
Tobio frowns at the self-deprecating tone. "Kunimi-"
"Don't. Tobio." Kunimi's eyelashes flutter with the bittersweet tone, holding out a hand to stop Tobio, even as his frown deepens. "We both know I'm saying the truth. And maybe, I'm just-" He shakes his head. "I need to get around the fact that you are not the same person anymore... no matter how fatal my reflexes are whenever I see you." Sending an apologetic gaze, he slowly lowers his hand, combing his hair back instead. "And maybe you don't need these pathetic excuses, as well. But I feel like I need to say it, anyway."
This really won't do. Tobio sighs. Looking down at his feet, he feels familiar frustration, eyebrows furrowing. "No, you don't need to. I don't hate you, Kunimi."
A hitch of a breath. Then small laughs. Tobio looks up to find Kunimi half-smiling, hand supporting his tilted head with a cup on his cheek. "I'm..." The smile looks like it's difficult to uphold, but he tries to steady it. "You're worth great things, Tobio."
That familiar warmth completes a part of Tobio that he didn't know had something missing in the first place. He may be smiling as well. It feels like it. "Will you be there to see it?"
Kunimi's eyes widen, then his smile breaks into a near-full one. He snorts. "Hm. We'll see. You'll have to get scouted first."
Amused, Tobio's mouth quirks and is about to say something back, when Kunimi's expression mellows down, and his brow slightly points outwards, looking at something behind Tobio. Confused, Tobio turns around but is only startled when he sees Tsukishima walking towards them.
"What are you doing here?" Tobio thought the middle blocker had already been at the bus.
He doesn't receive a reply. Instead, Tsukishima grabs his wrist and starts walking towards the direction he came from with Tobio in tow. The setter is stunned at the contact for a few agonizing heartbeats before he remembers something. He turns around, with difficulty. "Kunimi. I-"
As Tsukishima's hold on him tightens and his breath catches, Kunimi looks down at the action, with that raised brow turning into recognition. Then, he sends a half-smile towards Tobio with a small wave that could only mean one thing. "Good luck, Tobio." Tobio doesn't know what it means.
"What?" Tobio tries to comprehend what he needs the good luck for but Tsukishima pulls on him tighter and he finally faces the blonde's back. "Hey. Wait, I was still talking to Kunimi, you-"
Tsukishima's harsh scoff makes Tobio flinch. "If you weren't so busy with talking then maybe you would have answered Tadashi's call. We've been waiting for you on the bus for minutes."
At the realization, Tobio's lips curl. He shakes his head. "I didn't-"
Tsukishima turns to him, glare sharp like the first time. Tobio feels himself freeze and they stop in front of the gates of Aoba Johsai. "Yes. You didn't."
Not knowing where the sudden anger is coming from, Tobio frowns. "Why are you talking like that? I know I should have checked my phone but you're being more of an asshole than usual." He pulls his hand away, watching Tsukishima's hand flinch at the sharp movement. Looking down, Tobio's brows furrow even further at seeing the redness around his wrist.
He grows witness to Tsukishima trying to form words, lips opening then closing with a click of a tongue. Tobio feels more antsy. He shakes his head, starting to walk away. "Nevermind. Let's go." He'll let Tsukishima be with that strange mood of his.
"Wait."
...Damn it. Tobio turns around. What he doesn't expect, however, is another hold on his wrist, this time with two hands, a pair of thumbs caressing the red mark on his pulse. With his breath taken away, Tobio tilts his head with no effort and finds Tsukishima, lips bitten, looking down as he massages the patch of skin.
Tobio prays to all the Gods and Buddha once more that Tsukishima can't hear the stutter of his heart under that thin surface. It's already talking him everything to not carelessly stare at the other, quickly averting his eyes once he realizes Tsukishima doesn't plan on saying anything else.
He finds himself thinking why Tsukishima is doing this, but those thumbs continue to do those same circling movements, such gentleness that is so unexpected from Tsukishima that Tobio finds his efforts go unfulfilled, feeling that warmth intensifying the longer they stay just like that. It threatens the brightness of the setting sun, but Tobio is also all-too pacified by its halo on Tsukishima's golden locks.
How hopeless of him. Tobio may never go back to the bus, after all.
Resolution is easy to find because when Tsukishima locks eyes with him, the why's and how's empty out inside Tobio's mind with the unapologetic proof, real and encompassing his very being, existing and breathing in front of him.
That same confusion and uncertainty, they dissolve into dust in an instant. Tobio may have finally figured it out.
Whatever road he might find himself inㅡin the present, after graduation, and after volleyball, there's one more thing he's willing to choose. They can all be his, the same as these feelings he harbors for Tsukishima. It's hopeless, but it's filled with answers he now knows.
Even when Tsukishima finally lets go of him, even if Tobio just watches how the late afternoon wind plays with his curls that he knows are soft even with his simple imagination skills, they can all be answers. All these things he notices, and those he will continue to notice, they are all tied to Tsukishima.
It just seems like Tsukishima will always be there. The dead end of a long road, a passing memory, and the recollection of future plans.
It can be as easy as that. It really can be. There will be no regret with such ease.
Tobio is satisfied with that answer.
Inside the bus, the chatter they heard as its doors were opening suddenly dulled. Tobio raises a brow at the odd silence.
Then it grows broken by a familiar mop of orange hair peeking from one of the seats on the back of the bus. Shoyo has his hand raised, waving it left and right in a dramatic motions. "Yamayama, what took you so long?!"
"I was talking with Kunimi."
He walks to where Shoyo is but just finds Tadashi already seated on the window side, smiling sheepishly at him. Tobio raises a brow at Shoyo who just 'oooo'ed. "Kageyama-kun's finally making friends again! How cute!"
Tobio has the urge to deck him in the face. "What the fuck." More than the usual these days.
Tadashi interrupts with sharp ha-ha-ha's. "Tobio-kun. Sorry for taking your seat. You can share with Tsukki, this time, maybe?"
There's that silence again. Tobio's brow twitch, feeling left out like the frequent times the team had suddenly gone quiet just like this. But he considers the suggestion. He glances at Tsukishima right across the two third years' seats, already wearing his headphones and eye mask. ...Cute. Tobio turns to nod at Tadashi. "Okay."
He doesn't see Tadashi's shell-shocked face as he doesn't waste time and sits down beside Tsukishima. In front of him, though, Tobio finds himself blinking at the sight of his bag. He thought he left it back at the gym. He takes another curious glance at the still Tsukishima.
Since being first years, everyone has had a seating arrangement just like their meals together. Tobio just always found himself seated beside Shoyo, besides that one time Ito exchanged seats with his senpai to ask Tobio questions while on the trip home from a practice match. They, him and Tsukishima, had never sat beside each other on the bus. It just... never happened.
Now, Tobio finds that Tsukishima is definitely quieter and more motionless than Shoyo. Crossing his arms and relaxing on his seat, Tobio sighs, feeling the bus start after Hitoka did a head-count. When he closes his eyes, he finds himself liking this arrangement, maybe a bit more extensively than needed.
Minutes felt like a few moments, and from a small bump from the bus, Tobio makes a dimmed sound, not registering anything. There's echoes of whispers and some chuckles around him. He grumbles between a breath, smacking his lips.
A flash of white makes Tobio's face scrunch up, his head reflexively turning away from the light as he's still trying to make sense of the scene in front of him. A solid surface beside his temple is sudden, along with small exclamations that sound like a gasp, but Tobio merely groans with shut lips, feeling his head tilt from side to side.
The grogginess doesn't hit him suddenly, but with much difficulty, Tobio blinks out that drowsiness weighing down on him. He mutters a weak whine as his eyes slowly flutter open. The first thing he sees is the expression of Nakano and Teramoto's widened eyes like they have been caught doing something they shouldn't be, immediately followed by them hiding behind their seats.
Tobio grunts in confusion before slowly opening his eyes, trying to adjust to the open lights inside the bus. "Mnh..?" He looks to his side and is immediately greeted by Tsukishima's frozen state, looking anywhere but his seat's direction. Ah.
Holding out a hand for his temple's right side, Tobio slumps down to it while already mourning his death. He'd done it again, sleeping while leaning close to a person he was sitting next to. He'd already heard enough about it from Shoyo but this... this takes the cake for all of those moments, one that he won't like to be risking having a taste from.
"Fuck... sorry." He weakly winces, still trying to recover from his seemingly deep sleep. It's a wonder they haven't even arrived at Karasuno yet with how long his slumber felt like.
Tobio shivers. That just brought up the possibility of him lying on Tsukishima's shoulder the same length he had been sleeping the whole time. Fuck.
He takes a glance at Tsukishima's direction but sees the blonde with his eyes closed, brows pinched deeply. Then, a sigh with weight. "...Don't worry about it, Your Majesty."
How can I not...?! Tobio softly scoffs at the other's state before turning away, lest he'll finally expose himself with how warm his cheeks feel like from mortification. "Whatever." Great diversion.
The ride grows uneventful after that, with the two of them not doing anything except adjusting their positions into more comfortable ones, like Tobio thumping his head on his backrest or Tsukishima looking out the window, his headphones still on.
Tobio ignores the smug look Shoyo sends him across the isle when they lock eyes.
It would be a lie when Tobio says he forgot about it the next days after all that had been repeating on his mind every practice, every morning run, and every evening of his walk home. Then, at the Tokyo Summer Camp, he finds himself being paired up with Tsukishima again but now on grilling duty at their annual barbecue every year.
Turning one of the meat with the tongs he was holding, Tobio finds himself growing silent at the reminder of change. He can't help but blankly stare at the tame flames from the charcoals underneath the grill.
Beside him, Tsukishima adjusts his glasses with a click of his tongue, bothered by the smoke that seemed to be adamantly flying in the direction of his face every single time, making his eyesight foggy.
On all sides of the grill, there's someone coming and going for the meat and snatching them the moment they are put by him and Tsukishima on the plate where all cooked meat are put on. Sighing, Tobio grabs for his towel on his shoulder and pats away the sweat on his forehead. It really is a good thing he cut his bangs again before the summer camp.
Then, suddenly, there is a small bowl with meat and rice in front of Tobio's face and his eyes widen, turning to Tsukishima who only looked at him and nudged the bowl he was holding. "Grab it, King."
Tobio's lips part, eyes scanning for any defining feature on Tsukishima's face so he can figure out what the blonde means, but the only thing he sees is that cute squint of his eyes, glasses now on top of his forehead and pushing his curled bangs away from his face. Tobio feels that familiar warmth in his face.
Not wanting to waste Tsukishima's time and irritating him as always, Tobio gets a hold of the bowl with his empty hand, heart thumping. He doesn't get any more chance to wonder, however, when Tsukishima reaches out for his other hand to grab the tongs he was using. Startled, Tobio turns to Tsukishima, "Hey-"
Tsukishima levels him with a resolute gaze. "Eat. You're gonna drool around the meat you're cooking, at this point." He then focuses on the grill, now using both of his hands to turn the meat and put new ones to cook.
"But you-"
Tsukishima sighs. "Eat, Kageyama."
Tobio tries to find other words to relent, but all he sees is a dead end. He grumbles under his breath, closing his eyes. He then shakes his head, grabbing a pair of chopsticks on the table beside the grill where the utensils are and starts eating.
It's tender... Tobio looks down at his bowl, humming internally. He steals a glance at Tsukishima but finds him occupied with changing the charcoal of the grill.
What are you trying to do, Tsukishima?
He couldn't quite figure out the answer to that question, to those moments, and why with every step he makes, he just can't avoid Tsukishima. Well- it's not like Tobio doesn't like it, per se, it's just- strange.
Then, it's the Spring National Tournament once more and Tobio doesn't have the spare time to focus on that enough, but it's also hard not to linger with his wonder when Tsukishima is a teammate.
They had already arrived at Sendai Museum, stretching on their team's respective side of the stadium, so when he hears an auspicious gasp from Shoyo in the distance, Tobio doesn't pay attention, already used to the other's dramatics, and just continues to stretch his legs on the floor.
But he then feels weight on his shoulders and looks up to Shoyo's bright grin. Tobio holds back a groan. "What-"
"Look! Tenka-san and Kaito-san are here!"
Abruptly sitting straight on where he was on the floor, Tobio snaps his head towards where Shoyo was waving and finds that the spiker was, in fact, not joking and completely saying the truth. Exhaling, the first thing he notices is the scarf around his father's neck, out of the ordinary for the summer heat, then it's the luggage he holds on the side, his arm occupied with holding his wife.
Tobio locks eyes with his mother and her familiar smile is all he needs to stand up and hold out his hand for an embrace. Halfway through his fast pace, he sees her expression melt, and suddenly, Tobio is caressed by his mother once more after almost a year.
He breathes in deeply around her small frame, smelling the familiar scent of his father's perfume around her. He then gets pulled back by his mother herself, getting a hold of his face. "Oh, Tobio. You're taller than the last time I saw you."
Tobio feels a buzz under his skin. "Kaa-san, when did you arrive?" He can't find himself to relax, holding onto her hands hovering his face. Even with the advertisements separating the side of the audience and the main court, he can't find it in himself to let go.
His mother beams. "Just this morning. We were in a rush, you see..." Glancing at her husband and their luggage, she sheepishly chuckles. "But we're here now. Your sister couldn't come, unfortunately."
Tobio frowns, letting his mother fret over the way his jersey sits on his figure. "Why didn't you tell me?"
His father huffs a laugh on the side. "It's suppose to be a surprise, Tobio. Why would we tell you?"
He feels himself inhale, then exhale. It all fogs up his whole being just from the sight of his parents alone. A tap on his shoulder brings him back, and Tobio sighs, relieved, not knowing that there was something so fundamental that he was missing right before a match. "Of course."
His mother smiles up at him, looking at his figure up and down before noticing something behind him. Tobio blinks as the woman chuckles to her hand. "It seems we came at an important time."
Raising a brow, Tobio turns and finds that his whole team is watching everything. When they notice him finally noticing them, some of them smile, like Tadashi who assuredly waved at him, others look away as if nothing happened. Then, Shoyo, in all his glory, walks towards his family with a grin. Tobio rolls his eyes, preparing himself for the spiker's natural theatrics.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Kageyama! I'm Hinata Shoyo, Yamayama's teammate and spiker!" He all but shamelessly introduces himself. Tobio grunts, instead of clicking his tongue as he usually does. Shoyo ignores him and holds out both his hands for the two adults.
The married couple look at each other for a moment, before Kaito smiles and Tenka does as well, though more reserved, shaking the ginger's hand. "You're... Hinata?" Tobio's mother asks, tilting her head.
"He is." Tobio gruffly says.
"I am!" Shoyo beams. He heavily pats Tobio's back but he doesn't even find it in himself to flinch or make any reaction, more focused on how his parents are observing Shoyo. "Our team is just warming up for our game in twenty minutes! You should find a seat in the middle of the bleachers so you can see things clearly. Or you can join our cheer squad!"
"I see." As if satisfied with what she sees and hears, Tobio's mother nods and smiles, slightly wider than the last. "It's nice meeting you,Shoyo-kun." Not noticing the two volleyball players' eyes widening at the immediate familiarity, Tenka turns to Tobio and pats his cheek, still smiling warmly. "Good luck on your match, okay? Me and your tou-san will be here watching."
"Thank you,kaa-san." Tobio nods, and his mother takes that as her and her husband's cue to wave and turn away, climbing the stairs.
On his way to go back to his stretching, Tobio walks away with Shoyo skipping beside him. "You know, Tenka-san texted me yesterday about their arrival!"
Tobio snaps his head towards the spiker that was still humming as he sat back on the floor. "You have kaa-san's number?"
Shoyo hums, stretching his upper body while reaching for his left foot. "Miwa gave it to me. For the surprise!"
An amazed sound makes them look up to see Koma sitting on the floor in front of them, pushing his legs straight into a v-shape, doing reaches as well. "I didn't know Shoyo-senpai was that close with Tobio-senpai's family!"
Shoyo boisterously laughs. "Of course we are, we're partners!"
Footsteps stutter around them the same time Tobio stops stretching his fingers, raising a brow at Shoyo who is still grinning, now with a questioning look. Not finding anything remotely gratifying, Tobio huffs, looking away. "I guess." There's no use denying it, it seems. Else Shoyo would turn more annoying than usual.
Shoyo makes an affronted sound. "Boo! You guess?! Rude! Why deny it when everyone knows I know where you store your underwe-"
"SHUT UP!" Face in intense flames, Tobio kicks Shoyo in the back, making him choke and hold himself steady before he collides with the floor, laughter from their teammates echoing from the side. With Shoyo just pointing at his embarrassed expression while cackling in the midst of his coughs, Tobio scowls as he walks towards where their water bottles were, close to Takeda and Ukai's seats.
On his way, though, he locks eyes with Tsukishima, and what he sees makes Tobio frown. Before he could even figure out why there was a shadow overcasting Tsukishima's familiar features, the middle blocker looks away and Tobio is left to do what he was supposed to do, drink from his bottle and re-adjust one of his knee pads.
The worry is overshadowed by their matches for the day. Though they both won them, as Tobio exits the gymnasium with his team, it gnaws on his mind. Then, a call around his name.
"Tobio!"
At the sight of his mother, Tobio slightly relaxes. He'll leave all his thoughts about Tsukishima later. For now, his family, though missing one, is here for his matches for the first time since middle school, and his attention is pulled like a magnet towards the small smile on his mother's lips.
"Ah, you were so good! It's really different to see you playing up close rather than in videos." His mother sighs pleasantly. "How far our Tobio has grown..."
Sensing his mother was about to go into one of her tangents, Tobio's face warms. "Kaa-san..." He casts a weary look around them and finds that his teammates are off to the side, as if to give them privacy. When Tadashi catches him looking, the captain smiles, then goes back to talking to the team again.
His father gently laughs. "Tenka, we're in public. Reserve the cooing for our poor Tobio at dinner."
His mother huffs at the man. Then, recognition on her face. She lays a hand on her cheek. "That reminds me, Tobio. Where will you and your team be going after this? Is it alright if you go to a restaurant with us for dinner? Then, on your last match, tou-san will talk with an owner he knows for all of us, including your coaches."
"Oh." Tobio blinks. He looks back to his team. "I'll ask Ukai-san first."
His mother hums. "Okay. Off you go then."
Taking that as his cue, Tobio nods to his parents first before walking to his team hurdled up in a circle. Tadashi greets him first. "Tobio-kun! You good to go?"
"Well." Tobio breathes in. "Kaa-san wanted me to have dinner with them. But she said the team's welcome to join when our last match is done, for tomorrow."
"Ah!" Tadashi smiles. "Of course you can, Tobio-kun! Oh, but for our last match... Hm. Let's ask Takeda-sensei first."
"Aww!" Shoyo appears beside Tobio, getting a hold of the setter's arms and leaning his cheek to one of them. "Can I come for tonight's dinner? I want to gossip with Tenka-san about your big fat crush on-"
Brows twitching, Tobio pointedly sighs in a loud volume. "For fuck's sake..."He glares at the spiker who only snickered at him. He turns his attention back to Tadashi who looked like he was trying not to laugh himself, though there was some underlining fear in his expression. Not knowing what that means, Tobio starts to turn away. "I'm leaving. Travel safe."
One day, he's gonna get revenge on Shoyo for deliberately saying words that will "make Tsukki realize how much of a hotshot he [Tobio] is".Clicking his tongue, he faces his parents as he walks close to them. With his mother locking their arms together, his annoyance dissipates, and on their walk towards the bus stop, all he could focus on was her mother's story about a new project their company was working on in Osaka.
Until their last match with Kakugawa, ending with them qualifying for the Miyagi Qualifiers for Nationals next year, on the back of his mind, Tobio thinks about everything happening between him and Tsukishima since the school year started.
He gets reminded of his father's want to know Tsukishima and the rest of his teammates back when they had dinner with just them three. Shaking his head, Tobio can't see how that introduction might end up, especially with their energetic juniors. Though he doesn't mind them, anything his father finds amusing, he keeps asking questions about or to it.
Let's just get this over with... Already having left the bus parked close to the restaurant his parents had graciously reserved for the whole team, Tobio breathes in the fresh air of the afternoon in the midst of the others' excited cheers.
"Hey, Kageyama-senpai, is it true your dad knows the owner of the restaurant we're going to?" Ever so curious, Tamaki matches his pace beside Tobio.
Tobio blinks. "Maybe. Kaa-san said he did." He hums. "I'll ask them later."
"Really?" Tamaki beams. "Ah, I'm excited! It's kind for you parents to treat us for dinner, senpai!"
"I'd say." Ukai chuckles from behind them. "And here I thought we'd only be getting this from Teramoto-kun."
"Hm?" Hearing his name, Aoki perks up, still having a sour tape between his mouth. "Mhat?"
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Jiro side-eyes the spiker.
With their own calls, the whole Karasuno volleyball team enters the restaurant and is greeted by one of the servers for their reserved floor upstairs. Tobio leads the way as the server rechecks the reservation under the Kageyama name and when they reach the long table, he finds that his parents are already there.
"Ah, here they are." His father looks up from his phone, adjusting his glasses as he smiles.
Ukai walks close to the two parents, holding out his hand for them to accept. "Thank you for treating us to dinner today, Kageyama-san. I'm Ukai, Karasuno's assistant coach. Takeda-sensei, our head coach, couldn't come because he's busy finalizing his students' grades, so he sends his regards."
"Of course, of course. That's fine with us." Tenka smiles at the younger man. She turns to the rest of the team, "Take a seat, everyone. Come, Tobio." She pats the seat beside her.
Tobio nods and is the first one to sit himself, the rest joining them after much hesitation. When the menu card is given, there's a chorus of 'oooh's and 'ahhh's around the table. Beside him, as he looks for his own order, Tobio hears his mother chuckle. "Your team is a rowdy one, aren't they? It's refreshing."
Tobio hums. "They are." He eyes the rice section of the menu, then looks up to his mother. "Could we get the platters? I think it would be hard for everyone to have solo meals."
His mother smiles. "Oh, of course." She softly claps to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, let's agree on what platter set we should get, okay?"
"Yes, Kageyama-san!"
His mother coos. "Such sweet boys."
Not noticing the erupting flames and embarrassed stutters of his teammates, including Hitoka and Hoshino, Tobio flips the menu for the drinks section, but he sees something in his view on top of the menu. Brows furrowed, he slowly pulls down and grows witness to his father talking to Tsukishima in hushed tones.
He immediately cringes. Tobio didn't know his father would really go and talk to Tsukishima himself but... looking at them, Tsukishima doesn't appear to be uncomfortable, even if the most he is doing is nodding and smiling slightly at what the older Kageyama is saying.
As if sensing him staring, Tsukishima glances in Tobio's direction, startling Tobio and making him pull up his menu card again. It's followed by an amused huff, but when Tobio attempts to take a glance, Tsukishima still has his attention on Kaito. Tobio sighs.
The dinner was pleasant, his team acting less rowdy than usual out of respect for the adults who bought them their meals, though that didn't hinder them from expressing how great the food tasted after a victory. And when goodbyes are in order, Tobio still feels embarrassed when his mother kisses his cheek in front of his team, but with his mother's promise to visit again for his birthday and his father's warm smile as he waves goodbye, he can't find it in himself to be ashamed of being pampered with.
Teasing at being the beloved only-son follows Tobio until they started to part ways in front of Ukai's convenience store. Watching his kouhai's laughing, about to walk in the opposite direction of the third years, Tobio breathes in the cold air of the evening brushing through his locks.
"Man, their marinated eel was so good!" Shoyo, still groaning at the memory of their meal, slaps his slightly jutting stomach as if to emphasize. "Heh." Then, he turns to smile at Tobio. "It's good to see Kaito-san and Tenka-san again, right?"
Tobio raises a brow at the sudden question. But when he sees nothing but genuinity in Shoyo's sparkling gaze, he huffs. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"
"Nothing, nothing!" Shoyo whistles. "Although..." Theatrically turning around to the two other best friends, Shoyo holds out a hand up in the air. "No fair Tsukki got buddy-buddy with Kaito-san first before me!"
Tobio sees Tadashi wince while Tsukishima seemed to glower at Shoyo. "Why does that matter? You hang out in his house all the time."
Shoyo just laughs at the clouds forming in Tsukishima's face. Tobio's brows furrow, not knowing what was happening. "?"
"Shoyo-kun, I don't think-"
Tobio clicks his tongue at the same time Tsukishima scoffs. Tobio looks away from Shoyo at the sound but finds Tsukishima already looking at him with an unreadable gaze. Shaking his head, he smacks Shoyo on the back of his head with no real force. "Stop it, dumbass." He probably sounds exasperated rather than annoyed.
Turning his body to him while resting his hands on top of Tobio's, Shoyo smiles, genuine but also still with mirth. He mouths, "Good luck!"
"Hah?" Now even more confused than ever, Tobio pushes away Shoyo's hands and is about to ask him what the hell he means when the spiker all but jumps away from him and skips towards their juniors.
"Goodnight, Yamayama! Get home safe!" Making an unhelpful peace sign at the setter, Shoyo winks at him before joining the younger players' conversation.
"Ugh." Tobio sends daggers on the back of Shoyo's head, still standing where he was. "I never know what the hell that bastard means these days."
Filled with helpless air, Tadashi sighs close to him. "You and me both. Tobio-kun, he-"
"Let's go."
Snapping his head to the side, Tobio is startled to find Tsukishima standing beside him. Blinking, Tobio's mouth parts. "What?"
Tsukishima just stares at him. "Home. I'm walking you home because Kaito-san said so. Give me your bag."
Flinching, Tobio's eyes grow wide. "W-what? Wait, when did you-"
He is not given a chance to process all that is happening when Tsukishima grabs Tobio's bag on with his hand, their fingers touching from the proximity. Supported by the 'oooh's behind them not quite different from back at the restaurant, Tobio splutters, knowing his cheeks look as warm as they feel even amidst the dullness of the evening.
Helpless, he watches Tsukishima lay the strap of his bag on his empty shoulder, and with his own bag already occupying the other one, the blonde looks slightly silly, but even if that brings out amusement in him, Tobio couldn't focus on everything except that sight.
What is happening? He can't help but whisper it through the summer air when Tsukishima leans his head towards him and gets a hold of his wrist, pulling him towards the direction away from Ukai's store. What is happening...?!!?!
Slightly panicking, Tobio turns back to his teammates but sees them mouthing their cheers of, "Good luck, senpai!" As a last resort, Tobio looks at Tadashi with a pleading look but the only thing his captain does is give him an encouraging smile, eyes saying that it will all be fine. Probably.
When fingertips caress his pulse, Tobio feels it stutter in his chest, and his attention is pulled back to the middle blocker in front of him. He tries to breathe, though it sounds like it just hitched. "You- you don't have to do this."
Slowing down so they can walk beside each other, Tsukishima glances at him, before softly huffing. "I know."
"But..." Tobio looks down at their connected hands, but doesn't find any figurative answer. Only the reminder of fluttering in his chest is what he receives, and it feels as exhilarating as their earlier win. It comes from trust and resolve that it would happen, but there's also that relief, and familiar warmth. Always that familiar warmth. "Why?"
Inside him, there's a prick of nervousness and fear, one that Tobio can't decipher at the moment. But his breathing stills even more when Tsukishima lets go of his wrist, only to hold his hand properly instead. It hovers there, not clasping their fingers together, but it holds, and Tobio hopes Tsukishima holds onto him like a lifeline.
"Because I want to, Tobio."
Because it feels like he's free-falling again.
He knows there is nothing but bright crimson in his face, but regardless of the risk of Tsukishima seeing it with every street light they pass, Tobio can't find it in himself to stop anything. He doesn't understand, still doesn't understand if this means anything, but when he looks at the difficult furrow in Tsukishima's brow, he wants to continue understanding.
Because it's as if Tsukishima doesn't know what the hell he's doing as well.
But, he is doing something. If anything, all Tobio can take from it is how this is the first time they have walked home with just the two of them. Always, it would be with Tadashi or Shoyo, but now, it's just them.
Tobio doesn't want to know what his father had told Tsukishima moments ago. Or if he really pushed Tsukishima to do all this just so Tobio wouldn't walk home alone like he always did after their official matches. But if Tsukishima really was doing this out of his own volition, Tobio would allow it.
Until they had arrived at his front gate, there they were, hands still connected, and despite knowing he kept jittering out of nervousness, Tobio couldn't find it in himself to let go. Maybe Tsukishima felt the same.
When he reaches for the gate, that is when their hands grow apart. Tobio already misses the feeling. He risks gazing at Tsukishima, even if he knows his blush still hasn't gone away. "You... you called me Tobio."
As if startled, Tsukishima looks down at him. He glances away, adjusts the way his glasses sit on his nose though there doesn't seem to be something wrong with it, then gets a hold around the strap of Tobio's bag. Gently, he hands it back to its owner, and Tobio accepts.
With his head pointed to his feet, Tobio couldn't see Tsukishima's expression quite clearly. "Don't get used to it, King."
Tobio doesn't resist the urge to eye-roll. He huffs. There goes that original asshole-ery. Shaking his head, he calls out to the blonde, softly. "Hey."
Tsukishima finally faces him completely, as if pulled by the sudden breathless way he talked. Tobio couldn't find it in himself to filter how he truly feels. Maybe this is all a complete misunderstanding, maybe Tsukishima was just being nice. Regardless, Tobio could only show nothing but the truth when he gazes at Tsukishima.
This sight in front of him, Tobio sees proof as to why Tsukishima is always tied to the moon. Separate from the meaning of his name, here, under the warm light of his house's street lamp, Tobio sees the brightness of Tsukishima's own gaze leveled back at him, and how he really looked to be interested in what Tobio was about to say.
He doesn't know if it looks like its regular, scary state, or if it feels as proper as he feels, but Tobio just knows he wants to smile, smile up at Tsukishima even if their heights were barely apart. He blinks, but Tsukishima is still there, listening. He's not going away. "Thanks for walking with me. Get home safe."
Maybe, it's Tsukishima's own turn to have his breath hitch, and Tobio watches it all unfold in front of him. He can't find it in himself to look away when it looks like warmth has enveloped Tsukishima's face even with the evening breeze not lacking with coldness. "I will."
That all-encompassing warmth follows him with months gone by.
"Man, I'm gonna be honest, but maybe 'Dashi really is right..."
Brows quirking up in annoyance, Tobio eyes Shoyo to see him looking at the setter up and down, deep in thought while having a hand under his chin. Like a philosopher. As fucking if. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Hitoka, mouth in a soft 'o', claps lightly beside the still-pondering Shoyo. "Light pink really suits you well, Tobio-kun!"
Sighing, Tobio fiddles with the collar of his shirt. Apparently, tradition has gone from simple cake surprises with hats to fully dressing up when it comes to Tsukishima's birthday. Though, it is the year where the date is on the weekend. Even as they are all busy with full-time practice for the epilogue of the Spring Tournament, there Tobio was, inside Hitoka's bedroom as they're on their way to Tsukishima's.
The manager had taken it as her mission to dress him and Shoyo up when Tsukishima invited them for a birthday dinner at their house. Not without a slight grimace and Tadashi's tight grip around him so he can't run away, however.
It had been surprising to have been let inside Hitoka's house, though it was not their first time, Tobio still felt out of place, with how Hitoka's bedroom is in bright, slick colors from every nook and cranny while he is used to his plainly decorated one. Shoyo, however, with all shame out of the way, claimed Hitoka's desk chair for himself and began silently spinning it around while the manager was occupied with touching up Tobio's hair.
Used to having his hair fiddled with by Miwa after all these years, Tobio just watches Hitoka do her thing, which was honestly just straightening and curling some ends and strands of it with how short his hair is. But, when he glances at her vanity mirror, there's still some key difference in how it looks.
The way he overall looks is remarkably different from the normal way he dresses up. With the secret theme Tadashi had whispered to them days ago being pink or green, he had been assigned to pink, Shoyo with green, then Hitoka a combination of the two because she had difficulty choosing.
The soft, light pink button up he wears had been a recent purchase, with his closet having no pastels, and even his sister's. And so Hitoka had given him some stores in the mall and separate boutiques outside to check. Though he was close to being lost, Tobio had been successful, and what he partnered it with was one of his simple black slacks and a white shirt inside that peeks out from a few undone buttons.
He looks fairly decent, if Tobio says himself, but he is then quickly distracted by the expression on Hitoka's face. She is just smiling warmly at him, silent and paying attention. "What is it?"
Hitoka blinks, then her eyes slightly widen in recognition, before she just lightly laughs. "Nothing! Nothing, really! You just look really good right now, Tobio-kun. I think Tsukishima would be surprised."
"Tsukishima?" Tobio raises a brow. He... sort of went into a tangent in his mind about that when he tested out his planned clothes in his own room, but the thought only made his cheeks pink as well and he tried not to dwell on it at the present. Just now, even thinking about it again makes him feel warm, and he quickly averts his eyes from the amused Hitoka. "Why would he be? I'm not the one doing the surprising, Tadashi is."
Hitoka laughs again. "Not that! You just- look different. We all are." With hands on the rest of her vanity table's chair where Tobio is sitting on, Hitoka faces the mirror surrounded by small, fairy lights on its frame, and smiles at the setter. "We should do this again, some time in the future."
Looking back at his reflection that is slightly red in the face which everyone knows didn't come from one of Hitoka's many palettes, Tobio settles. "We should. You always dress up nicely."
Now it's Hitoka's turn to blush, though her smile doesn't relent from the shyness that is still a habit of hers despite the years that have already passed. "Thank you, Tobio-kun."
On their way to the Tsukishima household, Shoyo keeps fussing about the accessories that Tobio is wearing, saying that they're too little. "How are you going to be all up and pretty for Tsukki with how you look?!"
Trying to fight of the blush on his cheeks, Tobio frowns, still not understanding the spiker's point. "Why the hell is that important? It's his birthday, not mine."
Shoyo all but groans. "That's the point, you idiot! You're his present!"
Okay, now there's really no stopping the way he goes crimson at the absurdity of it all. "P-pre- shut up, you bastard..!!!"
Watching the chaos unfold, Hitoka looks at them back and forth while chatting with Tadashi for updates. She sheepishly nods. "...I mean, Tobio-kun, wearing earrings wouldn't hurt. You never wear any accessories because of volleyball, after all."
"See!" Shoyo harrumphs in victory. "Even Yacchan agrees with me! Come on, wear it!" Holding the said earrings with a pinch of his fingers, he dangles it in front of Tobio. "Besides, they're just clip-ons! If you're so stingy about it."
They weren't too flashy. Being silver, it complements the necklace Tobio is already wearing with a small ring with white crystals attached to it. It was designed to be asymmetrical, with one side longer than the other one, but there weren't any other designs except it being two vertical lines with small white star-crystals embedded to it.
Still apprehensive, Tobio looks at Shoyo who had a persistent frown, to Hitoka who was smiling patiently, then back to the accessory that made them halt their footsteps in the middle of the street. After a beat, he sighs, and holds out a hand. "Give it to me."
Celebrating with a 'whoop!', Shoyo gives him one pair first, and Tobio attaches it to his earlobe freehandedly.
He doesn't regularly wear earrings, since, as mentioned by Hitoka, he doesn't like it when something hinders his plays, but since they were clip-ons, it probably wouldn't hurt to try. When he's done with the first, Tobio is given the other one by Shoyo on cue. Afterwards, the spiker whistles.
"Yep! Definitely better now!"
"Ah, do you need a mirror to check?" Hitoka quips. "Let me see-" She opens her bag and rummages, then pulls out a small, beige double mirror. "Here."
Tobio accepts it and looks at his reflection once more. He looks like he's going to a fancy dinner and he doesn't know how to explain that out loud. He settles with a hum and a simple nod. "Let's go."
Some back and forth yelling happens while Hitoka giggles between the two guys as they continue the trek and when the sight of Tsukishima's familiar home, Shoyo starts whistling.
Tobio immediately glares at him, suspicious. "Oi."
"Hm? What?" Shoyo innocently hums while opening the already unlocked gate of the household.
Tobio waited for Hitoka to enter as well before he closed the gate himself. Holding onto the metal, he glowers down at Shoyo who squeaked.
"It's nothing! The hell, you always got to act all suspicious of me..." Pouting with his arms crossed, Shoyo hurries up before the two of them to the doorstep.
"Nothing." Tobio deadpans, giving a 'can you believe this dumbass?' look to Hitoka who chuckled to her hand.
The door opens and reveals Tadashi in a white and green-striped sweater and dark chocolate pants. He smiles brightly at them. "Finally! I was wondering if you guys got lost or something."
"We've already been here a couple of times." Tobio says, patting the captain's shoulder as greeting.
Tadashi's smile only widens in amusement. "Well-"
"Only because you and Hinata can't study for shit."
At the doorway to the right, Tsukishima appears wearing a dark brown leather jacket over a pink button up partnered with a white necktie that has tiny cherry blossom flowers on it. Down, he's wearing his usual blue jeans and when Tobio looks up, he immediately averts his eyes when he catches Tsukishima just staring back at him.
"Yeah, yeah! And you just let us in every single time, Tsukki!" Shoyo blabbers at the blonde. When he notices that Tsukishima is not paying attention to him, he slowly turns his head to Tobio. With recognition painting his face, his pout turns into a devilish grin. "Hoho! Ka. Ge. Ya. Ma!"
Shoyo elongates the last vowel of the setter's name, immediately making Tobio's brow twitch and letting the heat on his cheeks simmer. "What..." He squints his eyes.
"Bow to me with gratefulness because I lent you those earrings! I've never seen Tsukki's expression go dumb so fast!" Rudely pointing at the middle blocker's face, Shoyo boisterously laughs, holding his belly from the impact.
Snapping out of the thing he was fixated on, Tsukishima clicks his tongue at Shoyo. "Excuse me? Is this how you treat every birthday celebrant that invites you to their home?"
Recovering from the abdomen workout of a holler, Shoyo throws peace signs with his hands while grinning. "Heh! Only you, Tsukki!"
With Tadashi watching everything with careful eyes lest everyone commits to a squabble again, Tsukishima adjusts the way his glasses sit on his nose with an easy finger before walking out. "Whatever. Follow me. Everything's already set in the engawa."
Tadashi flashes in front, following Tsukishima while still facing the other three. "You heard the man!"
They follow, not before Tobio smacks the living lights out of Shoyo back on his head for the stunt he just did. His scream seemed to echo until they arrived at the engawa, fresh air and buzzing of crickets familiar to the countryside.
Tobio overlooks the way fairy lights sit at the many plants framed with the concrete party walls of the lot, and the two wooden tables and chairs on the even dirt ground.
There, Tsukishima's mother along with Akiteru was talking to each other while setting up the two connected tables with plates and cups, food already set. Hearing their footsteps, both turn and plaster easy smiles.
"You finally arrived!" Akiteru waves at them, still holding a cup with his other hand. When he notices what they're all wearing, he laughs, pleasantly surprised. "Oh, wow! I didn't know there was a theme for today." He turns to his mother, a questioning but amused grin.
"Don't look at me." Rei chuckles. "I wasn't aware about any of this. Tadashi, dear, you didn't tell us. Is that why you're wearing green today?" She teases the younger.
Tadashi laughs while waving his hands around the air in denial, walking close to help with the set up. "Ah, sorry, Rei-san! I wanted to include you guys as well but Tsukki might have found out about the surprise!"
"Oh, I'm definitely surprised." Tsukishima in question huffs, having already seated himself and passing around cutlery.
On his way to sit, Shoyo gasps, eyeing the food on the table. "Fried tofu! Rei-san," He turns to the woman with sparkling eyes. "How did you know I was craving for this?!" He might as well already be drooling.
"You might as well already be drooling." Tobio huffs, sitting beside the spiker.
Instead of conjuring up a reply, Shoyo only sticks his tongue at him and grabs utensils for himself from Tsukishima. Tobio raises a brow. Tsukishima notices the fiasco. "Very creative." He comments while passing Shoyo his chopsticks and spoon.
Shoyo only glares at him while Tobio snorts. Shoyo also glares at him. He pointedly huffs. "You two just keep ganging up on me!"
Unimpressed, Tobio sits properly while unconsciously touching his earring on the right. "Yeah, right."
"I'll say," Rei starts as she sits beside Akiteru at the end of the table. "You all look so cute with Kei's favorite colors as your outfits. You should do this more often." She looks at them fondly.
Tobio hums. "Hitoka dressed us up."
"Really? My, my." Rei smiles at the manager who jumped at the attention. "You've done wonderfully, Hitoka-chan."
"T-thank you, Rei-san!" Hitoka bows with shrimp fried rice on her spoon, almost making a mess.
Quickly grabbing some napkins, Tadashi stands up, cleaning up the sides of the blushing Hitoka's plate. "Careful." He smiled.
The dinner proceeds with catching up courtesy of Akiteru and how practice had been for the Spring Quarterfinals. Shoyo and Tadashi are mostly the ones who lead the explaining, Shoyo being proud that he has most of the first years under his wing when it comes to receiving. Tobio didn't find the need to quip all the time, especially when he sees Tsukishima not making that much of an effort.
But it's not like he doesn't want to talk. Tadashi has much more to say, while Tobio only has straightforward ones. He will speak when asked, and that's all there is to it. The conversation roaming around volleyball is as normal as breathing, and his interest is not defined by how much he replies. At least that's what he thinks.
"Hey."
A voice beside him startles Tobio. Shit. He tried, really tried to ignore the fact that here he was, sitting next to Tsukishima again, but who's he kidding? Tobio shakes his head. That shouldn't be his focus right now. The middle blocker is talking to him.
He raises a brow. "...What?" Nice. Very normal of you, Tobio. You deserve a pat on the head for that. ...Tch. He winces on the inside.
"Are those yours?" Tsukishima asks around the rim of his glass. It contains a kind of soft drink that Tobio doesn't know the brand name of. He didn't get a glimpse of it moments ago. He doesn't glance again when he catches himself rather staring at Tsukishima's lips.
"Hah?" Tobio blinks back, dumbly. He looks around himself, then notices where Tsukishima was looking before pointedly turning away. Tobio's brows furrow, looking down. His... outfit? "My what? My clothes?" He looks back up and finds Tsukishima already staring. He ignores that familiar warmth again.
He sees the corners of Tsukishima's lips perk up and tries not to hit him. From frustration, from how attractive that was—Tobio doesn't even want to figure out. "What else?" He's getting distracted again. Damn it.
Tobio frowns deeply at the blonde. He can't help but pull on his already loose collar, feeling stuffy under the clear air of the evening all of a sudden. He huffs a breath. "They're new. I don't have any pink clothes. Even Nee-san. We- Hitoka helped me."
Tsukishima hums. Tobio doesn't know if he's pretending to be interested or that he's actually curious about how Tobio looks. Meanwhile, the latter watches Tsukishima fiddle with the surface of his glass, the unfamiliar ring on his index almost seemed like it glimmered under Tobio's watch. He'd never thought of Tsukishima to be the accessory type.
Well- in court, Tobio knows it to be difficult. But even in class, he'd never seen the blonde wear a mere watch. Yes, he was also wearing many things more than necessary, but with Tsukishima- Tobio clears his throat. He looks away from those fingers, already feeling warmer than he should be.
They look good on him.
Tobio doesn't stop those thoughts from popping up, however. Then, he's left snapping out of it when something flicks on his earrings. He blinks, turning to his side, and is startled once more when a finger flicks his forehead. Gently. It doesn't even hurt. More like a one-touch set, or a floater.
It's an impossible thing, even until now, even months later with weird tolerance towards one another, but all Tobio could see when he looks back at Tsukishima, with his chin tucked behind his hand, glass already laid back on the table, a form of softness hides behind those glasses of his.
Oh. Tobio only notices it now. Those are new. How did he not notice it before? He's- he's not ashamed of the fact that he always caught himself looking at Tsukishima more than he should be these days, but surely it hadn't been that long since the middle blocker had changed glasses. Only the top part and a few centimeters of its sides were the only ones that are rimmed black. On the underside, the lens is unprotected and visible.
With it, Tobio finds fair skin that was blocked before. It feels weird. He's not used to it. Even when Tsukishima takes off his normal glasses to change to the ones he uses in matches, a glimpse of his bare face and squinting eyes at the change of eyesight, he's not used to it at all.
But it's- it's not a bad kind of weird. It really doesn't feel that way. Even with the way Tobio can feel his breath hitch for even noticing another niche thing about Tsukishima once more, he knows it's not bad.
"Those are different." It's different. And it's not bad.
It looks good on you. Tobio's heart picks up. He hopes he doesn't look like he's going to convulse again. Like how Shoyo described his expression when he arrived in practice one day and Tsukishima had already been there. Before him. And before Shoyo.
Whatever Tsukishima sees on his face, it's enough for him to lean even further towards his hand. The smile he's hiding is unmistakable. That- is another something that's unfamiliar to Tobio. What else do I not know about you? "You think?" How much do I know about you?
The clench of his beating heart is one that's familiar. Shoyo gawked at him when he confessed feeling that way once. He thought he just ate too much for lunch, that's why he feels all stuffy. Shoyo gawked at him even more for using the word "stuffy" to describe it.
"Tobio. You are so hopeless. What am I going to do with you?"
Shoyo almost sounded like Tobio's mother. He told the spiker that much, aiming to snark. But that stare the older sent him, it was nothing but the truth. Was he helpless? Is that what this is? What he's feeling?
Maybe. But, Tobio knows enough that it's something different again. Tsukishima gives him all these strange feelings. It'd be helpful and more convenient if he knew more.
Tsukishima's sigh brings him out of his epiphany. That word, he learned from Shoyo's incessant babbling after hanging out with Mahiro for two lunch periods. However, that's not important now because Tsukishima is leaning close to his space, even if it may just be Tobio's dazed eyes playing tricks on him. Or not. He has confidence in his eyes as a setter.
But Tsukishima's confusing. And he's saying something again. But all Tobio can see is the flutter of his eyelashes the same color as his hair, as his expressive eyebrows, and his new glasses. Then, the small huff from his lips.
Tobio can't seem to focus.
"Hey." Tsukishima doesn't flick him this time, only taps his index finger to the space between his eyebrows. Tobio frowns. "You're zoning out. Party too stuffy for you, Your Highness?"
Stuffy. That word again. Tobio can't help the flames that erupt on his cheeks. His frown deepens, holding up two hands to cover his forehead. He knows it's not enough to protect himself from Tsukishima, but it's worth a try.
Whatever new thing Tsukishima sees on his expression besides how he looks like a tarnished, smashed tomato, Tobio sees the end results of it. It's Tsukishima's eyes slightly widening, his hand slowly but surely pulling away from Tobio's face the same time he unrests his chin, starting to sit properly rather than his earlier, lazy stance.
Tobio can't feel his cheeks anymore from how warm he feels, so he looks away. It really is worth a try. His accessories make a sound with his movement. "....Ugh. Shut up. It's not that."
The clicking of a tongue, not far from an aunt looking at her children she always complains about, it's heard from across Tobio. It's Shoyo sighing, having cupped his own face on top of his palms, reminiscent of a 'v'. "Genius setter, they said. Genius generation, they said." That glint in his eyes, one that never fails to irritate the shit out of Tobio, appears once more. "Kageyama, oh, Kageyama...!"
Tobio kind of wants to throw him over the party walls. Outside of those desperate fantasies, Tobio combs through his hair in frustration, even if he knows he just ruined Hitoka's hard work. He hears her squeak from her seat as confirmation of what he'd done, but Tobio finds that looking anywhere but the side of the table with Tsukishima's seat is more important than apologizing to the manager. He'll do it later.
Later. Later, he said. Tobio did mean it, but he wasn't aware later also meant being in the Tsukishima household's living room, watching a shitty movie that Akiteru chose before leaving them to suffer without him. Tsukishima was right when he said Shoyo and Akiteru should not have met.
They had changed to more comfortable clothes that Akiteru made them borrow. It feels weird to be in pajama's that aren't his, inside a house that also isn't his, but it's relief outside the shitty movie, nonetheless.
Tobio kind of wants to hit Shoyo on the head. But when he glances down at his shoulder, Shoyo's already snoring with his mouth open, having shamelessly tucked himself on Tobio's arm while saying how excited he was for the movie. Not even twenty minutes in, he was as gone as the lights of the room, clutching one of the sofa pillows.
Maybe tomorrow. Tobio turns his attention back to the television, watches the awful way a character is trying to open a door while tension music is being played, the killer right on her trail.
Hitoka had long fallen asleep at one end of the couch, and Tadashi continues to fiddle with his socks while paying half attention to the movie, blinking with his sleepy eyes beside her. With a frown, Tobio's starting to realize their friends had set him up to be seated beside Tsukishima again. He sighs, leaning further to the couch's rest.
Even with the small movement, it makes Shoyo groan in his sleep, murmuring something unintelligible. Tobio huffs, feeling exasperated. He adjusts the spiker's head before looking back at the screen. Then, he feels like he's being looked at.
Brows furrowed, Tobio leans his head and locks eyes with Tsukishima. Tobio blinks, looking down at the blonde's phone left unattended and opened on his lap, then back at his bleeding gaze. "What are you looking at?"
Tsukishima's shoulder leans back, such a subtle movement. Tobio raises a brow. Tsukishima fiddles with his phone, then his lips thin out. "Aren't you bothered."
...Tobio still doesn't get it. "Bothered? About what?"
Tsukishima's brows narrow, then he looks away, adjusting his glasses. "About him."
Him? Tobio looks around, then his eyes settle to Shoyo's drooling form. Gross. Tobio's nose slightly scrunched up, finding his shirt looking kind of damp even in the dark. "This dumbass?" He lays his attention back to Tsukishima, expectant, but the middle blocker's not looking back at him this time. Tobio frowns again, facing the TV. His arm is starting to go numb. "No. He does this all the time."
A huff of breath. "...All the time, huh?"
Now Tobio's truly and utterly confused. "What? Why do you look like that?"
"Like what?"
They're now the only ones awake. In the middle of their weird conversation, Tadashi had already leaned on Hitoka's shoulder, one hand falling beside his sock-covered feet. Another intense soundtrack is playing from the movie, but Tobio can't pay attention to how shitty it still is anymore, how the warmth from the heater beside the staircase suddenly feels like it's not running anymore.
Because the cold indifference in Tsukishima's stare is something that Tobio hasn't seen before. Even the sincerely mean glares on their first year don't come close to this one. The beam of the television, the light from the blonde's still-opened phone, they all reflect back to the lens of his glasses. But despite that, they couldn't hide the gleam of the amber-colored surface around the way Tsukishima is looking at Tobio.
He feels nervous, and in a bad way. His heart clenches, and in a way he doesn't understand. Tobio's lips feel like they're shaking. "You look upset." Why does he look upset? Did I say something wrong?
A click of a tongue. Tobio's heart clenches even further. "Nothing. Don't mind me, King." Tsukishima turns back to the television screen, and it takes away all the breath inside Tobio's lungs.
He feels himself form an upside-down smile. His arm feels like it's not the only numb part of his body. But, finding himself not knowing what else to do, Tobio turns to the television screen as well.
Maybe he really is hopeless, in both ways. Tobio doesn't have any concrete proof to base his feelings off of. For a while, he felt out of it, and felt frustration for himself after a long while. He's supposed to be focusing on the tournament, and here he was. Here he was-
Tobio is facing the empty street in front of their hotel. They had won their semifinals in Interhigh and now, they're off to fight Shiratorizawa again. With their own roster, and the ticket to Nationals hanging above their head. But matches were done for the day, and here, there's little pedestrians on the side of the street, and vehicles zooming past them. It reminds Tobio of the way the side of their prefecture looks at the location of Hitoka's house.
It's a familiar sight, but Sendai is still something to get used to. Regardless of all those new and old things, the way Shoyo lays his head on top of Tobio's shoulder, it belongs in the 'old' category. He doesn't really know how it came to be.
"As long as I'm here, you're invincible!"
"Hey, Kageyama."
How many times are you going to switch between my names? Tobio grunts. "What."
"Are you really not gonna confess to Tsukishima even after we graduate?"
Even that line of question doesn't startle Tobio anymore. It's been a while since he had made that decision. "I'm not." But it remains unchanged.
Shoyo sighs. "You should know he likes you back."
Looking down at Shoyo, there's that brittle sadness when he looks at Tobio. He doesn't even pretend he didn't see anything, he just stares back and blinks. "That doesn't change anything."
That expression intensifies. Shoyo slightly leans his head away only to nudge his arm. "...You're really hopeless, Tobio."
Tobio sighs, turning away to look up at the sky, similar to their past conversation connected to this present one. There, he finds that there's lesser stars here on the more active part of the prefecture. Staring at them, Tobio can't help but feel hopeless himself.
"I still don't know what you mean by that."
Shoyo grunts. It almost sounds like he's laughing. Tobio raises a brow and annoyingly finds that he's right. But he has no time to snarl because Shoyo is smiling kindly at him. And his eyes don't shine with challenge anymore, but with the familiar way Tobio had known them to always look when they talk about personal things outside volleyball. Like how he feels, like how they feel, and the future, where they want to end up.
It's kind.
"Beat me in receives tomorrow and maybe I'll finally tell you!"
Tobio finally scowls. "Tch."
"Yeah, yeah!" Shoyo thinks that that's the perfect cue to jump away from where they sat, facing the confused Tobio with hands on his hips. "Alright. Let's go, my setter! To Nationals!" He makes the superman pose.
Utterly confused and baffled, Tobio's face twists. "What the hell?"
Nonetheless, he lets himself get dragged away, rough hands wrapped around his own rough ones, back to their hotel and to the dining hall with the rest of the team and their coaches while still continuing their back and forth yelling.
In retrospect, Tobio didn't expect anything would be that different, overall. They won their ticket to Nationals next year, and things are more settled than the past month was, with exams coming up and the whispers of winter break getting swept up by autumn. Across walks towards and from school, the leaves have grown brighter than the greenery they provided last summer. Tobio sometimes finds himself stopping at the neighborhood playground he always passes on his morning jogs and trips home.
It's nice, he settles with that to describe it. For once, he doesn't really want to hurry up for practice. It's a colder day that day, and so Miwa all but urged him to wear a thicker jacket and his usual scarf. But even with it slightly covering his mouth, Tobio's exhales are still visible in the air, reminiscent of fog along the cold wind.
There's no one else but him there, with the time being only close to 6:30 in the morning. No kids are running around, and no parents are chasing their kid that's running around. Tobio finds himself snorting at the vision, one that reminds him of earlier years.
"Haa..." Tobio looks up at the bright yellow and orange tree in front of him. He wonders if his parents will once again visit for his birthday this year. They had emailed him photos of them in Queenstown a month after they had watched his match, but nothing else. He... he wants to see them. "Tou-san would want to see the trees..." He quietly says towards the open air.
Pulling up his phone from his pocket to take a photo for his father, Tobio leans to the left, but then he sees a figure he hadn't noticed moments ago. He can't help but- "Ah."
Genius setter, they said! Shoyo's voice booms through his mind. Tobio's brow twitches in annoyance.
"Hm."
Seriously? Tobio slowly stands straight, examining Tsukishima right in front of him. It's strange to see him in this part of the neighborhood. Tobio knows that this isn't the usual path the middle blocker usually takes so... why? "Why are you here?" He couldn't stop his lips from gaping.
He sees the edge of Tsukishima's lips twitch. Tobio had embarrassingly paid attention to him enough this past year to know it means he's amused, albeit just slightly. "Can I not be here?"
Tobio's brows narrow. "That's not what I meant."
They both only stare at each other for a moment, with Tsukishima not even replying at all. In the end, Tobio huffs and looks away, holding up his phone again. He taps on the camera app and snaps two photos of the tree. He then closes it, settling on sending the photos to his father later. He has time.
The quiet almost distracted him from the fact that he wasn't alone anymore, but Tsukishima's presence is hard to ignore. Tobio stiffly turns to him, body still facing the tree. "...Why are you just standing there." He's not waiting for me, is he?
Looking at Tsukishima up and down again, now with his arms crossed and an expectant expression on his face, Tobio freezes. Shit. He totally is waiting for me.
Tobio glowers at the ground, his short bangs not even sweeping through his forehead anymore. But the movement makes his scarf flutter, and he pulls it even closer to the lower part of his face. It's not enough to hide the own flutter his heart made. He knows it isn't. "Let's go."
He doesn't wait for the blonde, only walking past him but at a slow pace. He has no watch but with how long the moment felt, they were going to be late if they didn't hurry up. Tobio turns around. "Hey-"
He's startled to find Tsukishima closer to him in proximity than the distance they had earlier. But, now, Tobio doesn't need to look up that much anymore. Their heights had grown closer as well as the year passed, and yet Tobio doesn't know if that is a blessing or a curse in and of itself. Because seeing Tsukishima up close makes him not know what to do with himself.
Tobio steps back with a flustered sound from deep within his chest, and is about to turn around so they can both pretend nothing happened, but then there's a hold around his wrist and he has nowhere else to go except be there.
A caress on his pulse point, a familiar action, and Tobio can't help but let his breath hitch. He glances at Tsukishima, but all he sees is that amused expression again. "We're going to be late."
Hopeless, all but hopeless, Tobio lets himself get pulled away, towards the path of the school, without being let go of. That one finger stays close to his stuttering heart, and that one hand is still wrapped around close to his own.
What will become of us now? All Tobio sees from where he was is the back of Tsukishima's head. His hair grows longer slowly but surely day by day, and Tobio wonders when Tsukishima decided to just grow it out. What are you thinking? His new glasses stay on top of his pale ears, but here they're not covered by the usual earphones. Tobio doesn't know what to make of it. Is this how we work, this time?
All his questions are left unanswered even with the views of other yellow trees framing the streets. Alongside electrical poles and turned-off lights making way for the early morning, Tobio's body thrums with wonder that seemed to know when to come back, when to remind him of what he can feel outside of volleyball, outside of the court.
And yet, strangely enough, Tobio doesn't mind wondering at all. Maybe this could be forever, maybe he'll never be satisfied with not confessing, maybe he'll settle with just this gentle hold of Tsukishima's around him. Or maybe, he doesn't mind that they won't be seeing each other again after graduation.
The thought paints a numbing sensation on his chest. But Tobio only feels his lips wobble, and he can't stop staring at Tsukishima even if he knows the middle blocker is probably annoyed at him already. There's still so much he wants to figure out, wants to do. Still, he could only stare, could only let Tsukishima let go of him when they're finally inside the gym, with some of their juniors already there.
What should I do?
Kageyama Tobio. Genius Setter and Vice-Captain of the Boys Volleyball Club of Karasuno High School. A yearly member of the All-Japan Youth Training Camp. King of The Court. What do they all mean?
I think volleyball isn't enough for me anymore.
Like the small drops of water from a bamboo pole, before it's pulled up by an attached contraption, only to gather more from a small waterfall, those words echo further and further until it's the only thing that Tobio feels like he has.
It's difficult. It's something to get used to. Predicaments such as these, he'd never gone through it. He doesn't want to bother with consulting with Miwa or Shoyo anymore. Verbalizing his worries doesn't work anymore. He's caught in another tight knot, and Genius Kageyama Tobio can't figure out how to escape from it.
The ringing of a bell is heard from the distance, and Tobio feels himself glancing in its direction for a moment. He looked away right after, and faced his front again. He knows it's strange for him to be here, on a temple that is usually packed on New Years, but it's days before then, and his parents aren't here, and his birthday passed with dinner paid by Miwa.
One shinsoku of the temple noticed him with no other party present before. The perplexed expression on the shinsoku's face was something that Tobio noticed, but she had merely smiled in the end and bid him good luck for whatever reason he visited for.
Tobio was thankful for the chance to be alone again. He wasn't there to find out whether he'll have good or bad luck the following year, or to pray for wishes. He's just there because he didn't want to join his teammates for New Year's Day to properly visit, and- because he doesn't like that he's currently alone in the house with Miwa gone until mid-January because of a seminar in Osaka.
There's still nothing of that urge to blame anyone. Tobio doesn't find it in himself, never will. But, currently, he feels lost, and it's weird, and he's not used to it, but being here, in front of the big ropes that are shook after claps and wishes, Tobio wants to stay.
The encompassing quiet never lasts when one is around nature, with birds continuing to chirp and that ringing again—now it's from nearby wind chimes. Tobio thinks the temple has them in front of one of its open windows. He turns around, and the stairs to exit the temple this far up are framed by its black and red torii. Nothing else is here. There's whispers in his head of wasting his own time, doing nothing. But Tobio wants to stay.
He doesn't know what will happen when he stays even longer, but he doesn't want to practice sets, and he doesn't want to go on a run. Tobio just wants to be here.
The wind picks up, pulling on his scarf, and the loose sleeves he wears despite the seeping coldness of winter. This time around, there's no gloved hand to caress his cheek, but Tobio doesn't find fault in that. He looks up, letting snow freefall towards the surface of his face, and they don't bother him. Because the sky is blue, and it's clear, and Tobio wants to reach up.
Small specks of snow reach his knuckles, and Tobio slightly flinches from the cold on reflex. But he breathes out, and the cold air that forms in front of his lips is familiar, and he's still comfortable despite the unassuming bite on his palm.
Tobio stands there, staring and staring. Then, there's that bell again, and that's when new things keep him settled on the ground. Much earlier, on his birthday, he was in a similar situation, but compared to being in front of a temple, he was in front of Kazuyo's altar, inside that one small room in their house.
He knew back then that he should have turned on the heater, so the following moments would have been avoided. He should have, Tobio knew, but he wanted to lie on the cold, tatami-covered ground, as he stared at Kazuyo's portrait, for whatever reason. Hours later, with Miwa shaking him awake in a panic and his hand he forgot to cover under his blanket long frozen, Tobio took one last glance at that photo before letting Miwa pull him out of the door and into the living room that has the heater turned on.
One way or another, doing that was the only thing Tobio needed. He only wants some time with just the two of them sometimes. Maybe Kazuyo would have already solved all he'd been trying to figure out, and Tobio wouldn't be here, still trying to make sense of it all a year later.
It's complicated. A year of all of this, and in the past, Tobio thought he could do it. Outside of the memories, he looks down at his ungloved hands, and lets his fingertips brush through his pulse on the other side. Of all the times Tsukishima had held him there, it never felt cold like this.
But maybe it's just the season, and maybe he needs gloves else he'll get frostbite again, but Tobio wants to figure it all out first. What do you think? Only the wind answers, and it's only with another chime, two or three. Can I do it? Is it still... is it still mine to decide?
"No one understands what is and is not important to you better than you do!"
"Better than I do..." Tobio whispers, gazing from faraway towards buildings, towards familiar streets covered in trees that had their leaves fallen long ago.
There's no grand congratulations, and no yells of surprise and party poppers this time around. There wasn't even the sunset to tell him it's enough, and it's one he will further stay with. But that doesn't lessen its meaning, just that it establishes it as one with meaning. Tobio inhales, and he tilts his head upwards again, towards the still-clear skies, accompanied by that chime, the sweeping of fallen leaves, and the words of years before.
"Well... I've never been the smart one between the two of us."
For the exhilaration, and the wants, it seems it is also their time to bid goodbye. It's a gradual thing, a real experience, and it grounds Tobio until all he can hear are the echoes of shoes, harmonizing with the sniffles and whimpering coming from his teammates.
The urge to join them almost made Tobio trip along his footsteps, but the future will not wait for him. Today, he finds that he won't be joining tears again. And, until he goes through the exams, and until he wears his uniform one last time, he has his jersey as Karasuno's number 2 for now.
When they return to their hotel, silence in between sobs slips through the dim light of the room. Tobio showered the moment he opened the doors himself, and when he got out of the bathroom, Shoyo's still hunched on top of his sheets beside Tobio's.
"It's your turn." Tobio simply says, drying off his hair with a small towel and putting his laundry on the end of his bed.
Shoyo doesn't reply and just sniffles again. Tobio looks at him again and finds the ginger frowning, tears still streaming down his red-blotched face. Tobio stops what he's doing, settled even with his hair still quite damp, and puts it beside his clothes. Without saying anything, Shoyo closes his eyes. Then, "Are you going to visit me?"
Tobio blinks. He sits on his bed, exhaling. "That depends."
Shoyo's lips flatten, and he glares up at the setter. It's weak, however, with tears accompanying it. Off-handedly, he wipes away snot from his nose with his sleeve. He's wearing his beige Karasuno sweatshirt. Tobio's lips twitch in disgust. After all the yelling that a five-set match can offer, there's tiredness and rasp clinging on Shoyo's throat. "You suck." Tobio should hand him a glass of water, else it'll grow sore and he'll have a cold and get sick again.
However, he sighs instead, putting his legs on top of the other. He lays his chin on his overworked hands. They still have dinner after this. "Go shower. I'm starving." Tobio lets himself freefall on his bed, letting go of his cheek, then properly positions himself so he's facing the ceiling with his arms spread out. The bed is not nearly big enough for the length of his arms combined, and so they haphazardly hang on its sides, as Shoyo sniffles again.
Tobio doesn't even spare a glance at the movement he hears beside him, because after a few seconds of his continuous staring above, there's an expected weight on top of him, and orange locks blocking the lower part of his face. He can't help but huff on it. "Oi. Your mop hair's poking me." It's muffled.
Shoyo just holds onto his torso even tighter, his own legs following the 'v' shape Tobio has. He's still wearing his volleyball shoes, instead of properly leaving them on the genkan like Tobio did earlier.
Like an honest attempt to reply, Tobio feels mumbling on top of his chest. He looks down with difficulty, his eyes now the only ones visible. But Shoyo's still not looking at him, and despite how thick his own sweatshirt is, he's starting to feel the part of it covering his chest growing damp.
He stares some more, but it's like Shoyo has no plan to move. Tobio sighs, closing his eyes, and lays his own head back down to the cushions, the same time he grasps at Shoyo's locks. Not thinking much of it, he makes a mess out of it between his fingertips, before gently pulling them back towards the spiker's nape. At some point, he's combing through Shoyo's bangs, and he finally sees a glimpse of those eyes again.
"Hey."
It's still muffled, but Tobio hears him better now. "What?"
Shoyo exhales, shaky around the edges, before he clears his throat. He goes out of his hiding spot, revealing the messy state of his flushed face to Tobio. But they can't erase the determination in his eyes, ones they have heard to be described as scary by commentators, enemies, and the audience; it even includes their team. Tobio only sees it as a challenge—for what it will always be, for him.
"I'm not going to lose next time."
It's not that much of a shock. New Years had passed, so that automatically means Nationals, and after that, they're still third years for three months. Tobio had been there when Shoyo began obsessing over watching professional beach volleyball starting last year, and he caught a glance of him searching up nearby beaches in their neighborhood just a fortnight ago in afternoon practice.
Tadashi liked talking about their futures. Tsukishima didn't talk at all. Hitoka was still trying to settle with hers. And, Tobio found his in the forms of offers and contracts just an hour ago, after being interviewed by a journalist. He still thinks the future is not that set in stone, but for the following years, he'll stay here, not in Miyagi but still in Japan. Then, Shoyo, where the sun burns much brighter and sand toppling over his skin with heat.
He meant it. 'This time', that is. Their counts of wins and losses between one another will continue to grow more and more. And he'll stay here, with volleyball, with professionals that will give him a chance to stay in court even further, and then the world.
It's still annoying, that Shoyo beat him to going overseas, the first one between the two of them. But that same Hinata Shoyo just finished silently crying on his clothes at the present time, and even when Tobio knows both of them heard the grumbling of his own stomach, he doesn't push Shoyo away.
He simply says, "Good luck with that."
And that's it.
There will always be the thrill of entering a brand-new gymnasium for the first time. Tobio experienced it when he was a child, side by side with Kazuyo, and the familiar smell of salonpas. Here, in Karasuno, it's no different. Even with the years that had passed, no matter the time of day, it's large enough, and both the glare of the sun and lightbulbs continue to shine down the squeaky floors.
But the sky is as bright as his fleeting months, and even with snow already long past melted from trees, now blooming with green and other fluttering colors that accompanies the still-cold breeze of spring, it has always symbolized the same few things—the end of what once was new beginnings.
When Shoyo left the building, chatter is heard even inside, and he didn't close the doors. Tobio puts the last volleyball he held back to its basket, but not before spinning it with two steady hands, just to see the words 'Karasuno' imprinted on its blue and yellow surface. He softly lets it fall from his palms.
Getting a hold of the sides of the sliding door, Tobio proceeds with removing his indoor shoes to his leather ones. The yelling he heard from earlier got piercer, and he raises a brow in its direction. He looks up and though feeling like he's going crazy, there's some kind of ruckus in the clubroom of the volleyball club, the door visibly looking like something just slammed towards it.
A few seconds and one click of the heel of his shoes, Tobio is done. He was about to continue to the club room to figure out what is with the fussing he'd been hearing, but that same door opens and with it comes his teammates.
Seeing him from the balcony, Shoyo's smile brightens and he waves violently, holding onto the railings as he leaned with the movement. "Kageyama! Hey, Kageyama!"
"What, dumbass?" Tobio snorts from the sight.
"Let's take a picture! On the cherry trees!"
Even before he could get a reply, his juniors were already walking near him, with Koma almost tripping on the stairs and Hiro jumping on his back with a cheer. Tadashi yells at them to be careful, with Hitoka giggling right behind him, but Tobio couldn't focus because of Tamaki currently pushing him with hands on his back, now more comfortable with bothering his senpai.
Tobio lets himself get led to the familiar clearing of the framing of trees at the back of the school grounds, but spring is here instead of summer. He looks up quietly while Aoki passes around some pork buns out of who-knows where, Mahiro following it with a laugh.
After much rowdiness, they are all gathered by Mahiro, signature camera held by his hand. They were the only ones at the back of the school, with most festivities close to the front gates, so the libero first grabbed a camera stand from the photography club, clearing with no difficulty because they knew him.
Until now, Tobio sometimes thought why the younger stayed for the team, but then again, he had played with Mahiro, and had seen him work hard, so there wasn't really that much to think about. He gets swept away from his lingering when Tamaki pats his shoulder, standing on his left, before facing the camera Mahiro was close to setting up.
Different conversations flow in and out of his attention, but a familiar sigh makes Tobio blink. He turns to his right side and sees Tsukishima, hair slicked back from gel, and a few curls falling down his forehead. And, as if sensing it, the middle blocker glances back at him.
Sure, he still feels a bit stuffy, but the calmness that comes with all of... this is what Tobio now wants to be familiar with. He breathes out an already exasperated sigh before looking away. He shouldn't be surprised. Regardless of hairstyle, Tsukishima will always be good looking.
He doesn't try to overshadow the warmth framing his cheeks, reminiscent of the pink petals falling down at them. Tobio watches Mahiro making a small sound of accomplishment before running to join the huddle, the red light of the camera blinking with the timer verbalized by the others.
Then, a weight on his head. Tobio turns his head, only to see Tsukishima holding a petal between his fingers. Tobio's breath slightly catches. That warmth slowly intensifies. He ducks his head as he looks away. "....Thanks."
The only answer he receives is a huff. Tobio quickly surmises it's another form of how Tsukishima shows entertainment. He doesn't know where it comes from. Probably, he has a scowl on his face again. He looks around and finds most of his teammates have gathered around Mahiro with the camera back on his hands and neck. Ah. Tobio must have missed the timer.
"Oi! Tobio! You didn't even try to look at the camera at all!" Shoyo points at him, mocking.
Tobio clicks his tongue, and walks closer with one hand on his uniform's pocket. "So what? Let's take another one, then."
Impressively, most of his teammates blink at him, with the same number, and the same crescendo. Tobio frowns. "What? What is it?" Did he say something like a wisecrack again...?
"Kageyama-san... you really are an ikemen!" Aoki pulls out a thumbs-up.
"Totally ikemen!" Tamaki, Koma, Hiro and Mirai chorus, with their own thumbs-up.
This again? Tobio's brows narrow. "I don't get it."
"You! Kageyama, you!" Shoyo boisterously laughs, heavily patting his back.
Ugh. Tobio's face scrunches up. "Are we going to retake the photo or not?" He pushes the pouting ginger away.
Tadashu hums, one hand under his chin. "We can but... Ah. What if we switch locations? In my opinion, the sakura trees in front of the school are more beautiful." He smiles.
Tobio looks up at the trees behind them. Not really. They're the same.
They get moving with one last cheer after Tadashi's statement. Joining them, Tobio glances one last time at those same trees. Even without me, they'll be the same.
The real plan from moving locations gets revealed when, after grabbing something from inside the school, Hitoka comes back from her classroom with not one thing, but with five flower bouquets wrapped around her hands.
The juniors try helping with them but Hitoka only smiles brightly and says, "Thank you! But, I'm used to carrying things at the same time now. Don't worry about me."
Half of them gets pacified by that same bright smile, and Hitoka turns to her batchmates. "Here! I almost forgot about them!" She grins and looks at Tadashi. "Good thing Tadashi reminded me."
"Ah! Thank you, Hitoka-chan!" All but cheerful, Shoyo accepts his bouquet filled with coppertips, marigold, daisies. Hitoka explains each flower and Shoyo nods with determination.
"Here you go, Kei-kun, Tadashi-kun."
"Thank you."
"Thank you!"
"And, here! Tobio-kun, this is yours and this is mine."
Without even seeing the whole bouquet, Tobio knew it was his when he saw the bright and dark blue and white wrapping it's in. Hitoka had always been particular with colors, and when it comes to all the logs she had made as a manager of the team, when it was time to give them out, they were bound with color-coded highlighters with their names, so they're easy to differentiate from one another, she said.
Tobio had never received a bouquet before, but that doesn't make it less of a wonder. He copies how Hitoka holds hers, now explaining its flowers' meanings to their awed juniors. The upper part lies on his right arm while his left hand is around the thick, paper yarn that ties it all together, infused with a neat ribbon that only Hitoka could easily do.
The cornflowers, he recognizes. He remembers seeing it from his grandma's garden back then. Kazuyo was worried about them accidentally being destroyed by a missed ball or a mistaken step whenever Tobio and Miwa visited, since they usually played volleyball beside it. But the woman persisted. Back then, Tobio was curious what the big deal was about, but when he saw those same collection of flowers, he didn't mind them.
Until now, he still doesn't. He admires Hitoka's determination to keep it a secret from them, even if it meant she had no one but herself to arrange the flowers. Tobio leans down, and smells how fresh they are. Even with a glance, he still sees some residue of water from the small bundle of leaves it's accompanied by.
A chorus of laughter makes Tobio perk up. He sees Hitoka talking with Tsukishima and the others, matching bouquets around their arms just like him.
There's a whistle from far away, maybe it's the baseball team practicing as usual. Sakura petals continued to fall around them, and Tobio looks down at the sight of them almost being endless. That will be a pain to clean up.
He knew it had been coming, and for the exams, those numbers and kanji were reminders. For time that will continue to pass, and the months that he will continue to leave behind. There will always be that sense of loss, the clench of his heart with this all-but familiar sight framed by blushing trees and clapping, with black tubes and clicking of shoes.
Tobio should be used to it already; maybe he really should be. But when he stands still from that distance, like the second golden button of his uniform is starting to stab at his abdomen, it's unrelenting. Because he remembers, because he will never forget, he will continue to go through this.
Ah. Seriously. This is not easy, at all.
He will feel his lips shake, and he will hold his bouquet with one hand only, letting it fall beside his hip. It's a heavy weight, but it's not as heavy as the button on the palm of his right hand. He didn't even know how easy it is. The loose strings are recognizable. The washer might have played a part in that.
But what's done is done. Tobio is still there, but he has also been there for quite a while now. He had never been optimistic, and working for it had only been what he knew. Here, however, there are many things that have been introduced to him. The yelling was part of him, and the laughter was too.
Until now, it's still his.
Really... This sight of his will continue to drift, after everything they had reached, and how he had come undone along with it. For the days that are now faraway memories to him now, they have well and truly made him who he is. But here, he wants to stay, just a little bit more.
Looking down, Tobio closes in on that button, with a gentle curl of his hands, an unseen grip he had honed, and the clean cut of his fingertips. There was no need for worry, because if he does it accordingly, even if it doesn't comply with the rules, as long as it's his, he will learn to figure out what to do with it, with all of it.
Even there, the distance between him and Tsukishima is unrelenting. He couldn't even see his face, turned away and busy conversing with the others one last time.
And even now, it's still hard, but not hard to figure out.
"One last time."
There's no need to doubt it.
"Kageyama! Come here! Let's take that final picture!" Shoyo calls out to him again.
Three years have passed, and it's beyond forever. But it can be the foundation of everything Tobio have known, and will continue to know.
For now, he knows there's nothing else left to do, but leave with his heart still set in motion, ticking like a patient clock, and waiting like how he had always been good at.
He waited to be good at volleyball. He waited for short passes that paved the way for his perfect sets. And he waited, even if he didn't know he was already waiting. For that familiar warmth, in a different wavelength, and with different meanings.
When Tsukishima makes fun of his 'impressive' face after they have taken the photo and he has finally looked at the camera—something about making the same hardened expression regardless of the angle—Tobio's 'scowl' turns into its truest form and he shoves Tsukishima with a clenched fist and veins popping out of his forehead. It's all accompanied by Tadashi's exhausted sigh and the others' cackles at the familiar sight.
And with the sight of that familiar irritation in Tsukishima's eyes, Tobio only smirked and squinted at him, challenging embers beside his own unrelenting gaze.
Year 01 & 02. Like a loud slam on roughened flooring.
Words: 21,164 | Chapter: 1/6
Preview:
For Kageyama Tobio, volleyball was everything; what he had known since the beginning, the reason he has healthy habits. It's a habit on its own. Karasuno, on the other hand, taught him what he should embody; teamwork, rivalry, friendship, what being a setter really means.
Moving at a steady pace, Tobio thought that was all there is to it. But touches linger, and scenarios witnessed by a third party can't be helped. He had grown with predicaments, an easy list of them, and this one is different.
It's different but it introduced him to warmth. And it's different, but he will see himself hold onto it like a lifelineㅡfor a familiar hand around his wrist, buttons left ungiven, and unoccupied months lingering by.
And maybe, just maybe, the way it's different won't change him, but will give him time for himself, not to be left unsatisfied, or standing on the sidelines, no; it's time to see what he could do, with volleyball, not outside of it. That one set that will get his side of the court a point for the longest match he'll ever play his whole life.
It could all be simply his.
OR: the act of remembering, and knowing what's important to youㅡnine years in the making.
"H-hey-! I get that you're all pissed off or something but don't take it out on the ball, stupid...!"
The first time Tobio had seen Kei, he had only been a nobody before he was Tsukishima, and he had clutched the collar of the blonde's clothes while the latter cockily smirked down at his seething glare. Tobio had thought of a much better, fitting name for him back thenㅡasshole.
Tobio slowly looks back at Hinata with a nasty scowl, and that was all it took for the smaller to jump in fright from where he stood, snapping his head towards the opposite direction and pointedly not looking at the setter. Tsk. Even saying 'practice' to describe what they were currently doing is a bit generous, with how Hinata kept poorly receiving despite the hours that had already passed.
"Oi. I can feel you judging me from that look on your face. What do you think you're looking at, huh?!" Hinata pointed at him with a stance that he probably thinks is threatening, legs sprawled out and slightly stretching, only it rather makes him smaller and non-threatening. "D-did your glare just turn even nastier...?! What the-"
"Shut up, you noisy dumbass." Tobio cuts him off, immediately ignoring the other's affronted squawk. "That asshole might have interrupted us, but I'm not letting him win." Reminded of Tsukishima's words and bastard-ery once again, his hold on the ball tightens. "I will join the team."
"Dude... seriously, I get the determination and all, and I definitely want to beat those two as well, but... you know that's mine, right? You know what, just hand it back to me, c'mon-"
To prove a point about what he feels about his unnecessary rambling, Tobio all but throws said ball directly at Hinata's face with irritated thunder shadowing his expression. He then ignores the ginger's scuffling on the grassy floor.
The following day, by some margin, they had won. Tobio ignores the excited and bubbly ramblings that Hinata forces onto him while jumping up and down, one that he guesses he will have to get used to from now on. His gaze drifts away from disinterest.
Tsukishima had been off to the side, earning what seemed to be a heavy slap on the back by Tanaka in which he visibly flinches from, trying to hide it with a push of his middle finger to fix his glasses into its proper place. It brings Tobio to another unfortunate thought that he also would need to at least tolerate the middle blocker's presence. Tch.
Tobio had the urge to sarcastically hum open-mouthedly to himself. But then his gaze clashes with rimmed-covered ones. He flinches in alarm the same beat that Tsukishima raises a brow at him, as if already mocking him from even daring to look his way.
"This guy's better than I thought..."
He's still an asshole, though. Scowling, Tobio harshly clicked his tongue and pointedly looked away, forcing himself to pay attention to Hinata's noisiness to ignore the gnawing stare that stayed on his back for a few moments before it finally left him alone, making him sigh a contained breath. Tobio wasn't even aware of doing it.
It was a gradual process. Time passes and Tobio's genuine anger towards Tsukishima simmers down, even just barely. The middle blocker's cruel words, he'll still never forget, but it is all but the push of volleyball that makes him put in effort, along with his senpai's. Tobio starts to understand that continuously clashing with Tsukishima will not make any difference. It'd only hinder things and make him remember unpleasant memories.
Regardless of his own efforts, however, Tsukishima continuously bites back with no saving grace, always calling him with those irritating nicknames. Tobio always wanted to hit him every time it happens.
And he slips up sometimes, same old yelling and back and forth with the middle blocker but he... Tsukishima makes it difficult for no reason.
"Once a volleyball idiot, always a volleyball idiot, huh?" Tsukishima uninterestedly mutters in the midst of their many matches with Nekoma in their summer camp. "If only you'll put the same effort for your classes."
Tobio is quick to take his turn to jab, clutching his hand into fists while sharply smiling at Tsukishima with his eyes in pleasant crescents. "What did you say, bastard?"
They're quickly stopped by their senpais' scolding. But as Tsukishima coughs humiliating fufu's the moment he looks away, wiping sweat under his bangs with a towel on his shoulder, Tobio doesn't relent and is still ready to punch the other even with the threat of it stopping the game.
Tsukishima's earlier statement still had the upper hand, unfortunately, as Tobio would never let Tsukishima be a reason for the game to be over, even if it had only been a casual match. A match is a match, Tobio simply thinks. It doesn't matter to him if Tsukishima doesn't share the same sentiment. He knows their views have always been different from one another from the start, anyway. Even if it's still damn annoying.
Eventually, it is the dynamic that stays between them as the months pass and as their matches turn serious. Even before said passing, though Tobio still thought of Tsukishima as an asshole, he doesn't deny that there's some strange, other side to him. One he doesn't know. One he thinks he might never be privy to.
That night, Tobio didn't mean to be some weird bystander on the side, him just being on his way to grab something from the vending machine before he slept. He was just in the right place to see Tsukishima and Yamaguchi conversing with one another. At least that's what Tobio thought was happening until Yamaguchi grabbed Tsukishima's collar with two fists. Tobio had to silence himself after he choked while sipping on his drink, brows furrowed.
The hell? This isn't any of my business... Tobio had quickly realized he didn't need to see anything else even further. Before he walked away, Tobio hears the strangely soft way Tsukishima pertained to Yamaguchi. He had to stop himself from bolting out of there, else he risked being caught because of the heavy footsteps.
Tobio doesn't mention it the following morning, continues not to as he sees the two guys peacefully conversing down the hill at the front steps of the gymnasium, after he had successfully won his competition with Hinata on who can run up the grassy hill the fastest. There is no pertaining of it whatsoever as the seasons change, and as him and Tsukishima start to actually properly train with each other so their match-ups could work.
It is not an easy feat, with their usual bickering and taking pleasure from getting under the other's nerve (courtesy mostly to Tsukishima), but they miraculously make it work somehow. It shows in their match with Aoba Johsai, and their ticket to Nationals had only pushed them even further.
"I told you to reach higher." Tobio pointedly stares at Tsukishima from his position in front of the net, the ball that the middle blocker had barely spiked towards the opposite side, bouncing with a sound after colliding with the wooden floors.
Tsukishima gives him a look. "And I told you I can't. I just can't seem to reach the King's standards, can we both agree?" He seeps in the mocking, as he always does.
Tobio's brow visibly twitches at the familiar jab, before scoffing. "Our practice would all just be useless, then. Let's end it now and I'll train on my own, if that's the case." He is about to turn away to make a point, but it's still not like him to settle with no change. It gnaws at his skin. "...Oi. Do you want us to win?" He directly looks at the silent Tsukishima right in the eyes.
Tsukishima seemed to flinch from something that showed in his expression, but as he slowly exhaled, resulting in his back being slightly hunched down, the blonde looks down to fiddle with his taped-up middle and ring finger. "And how is that relevant to this conversation? You can still leave if you want to, Your Majesty. I won't tease you about your graceful disappointment towards me."
The last two comments starts making Tobio's blood boil, but he forces himself to cool down, breathing heavily. He gives Tsukishima a throwaway glare. "What about you?" He grumbles.
Tsukishima stops fixing the tape around his fingers. He finally looks back at Tobio but he does not raise his head. "What about me."
Tobio clicked his tongue. "What do you want? By now, I thought you'd be-" He cuts himself off, not knowing where his sentence is completely going. His face twists from trying to make sense of it all. "What do you feel about volleyball?"
Tsukishima blinks at him for a few moments, once or thrice. Before his mouth twitches with an awkward perk at the edges. "If this is your way of playing truce with me, then I'm afraid to tell you that it's not working."
Tobio growls, before huffing, "No, you bastard! I-" He harshly sighs. "If you don't actually take this seriously then, yeah. That offer of leaving you here sounds more useful right now. But do you even-"
"Yes."
Being interrupted, Tobio grows silent. He looks at Tsukishima in confusion.
Tsukishima slowly raised his head, tucking his hands towards the pockets of his training shorts. "Yes, I want us to win, King. But that's different from doing something I can't do. There's no use in forcing out things that aren't plausible. And I already told you I have my own way when it comes to doing things."
"That's a lie."
Tsukishima snaps his head up. Tobio is still scowling at him. "Anything is possible if you train for it. You're an asshole but you can hit my tosses. You will hit my tosses. And I don't know what the hell is up with you but what I know is that it's only you that's holding yourself back and I don't get it because you're saying you want to win but you're not doing anything about it."
Tsukishima sarcastically smiled. "Watch your words, Your Highness. 'Not doing anything' is a big assumption of yours. In fact, you don't know me at all." He now fully faces Tobio, standing to his full height. "So I'm really not getting where you're going with all of this."
Tobio rolls his eyes, ignoring the underlining purpose to inflict hurt in Tsukishima's words. "Yes, you do. You can reach my tosses but for some weird reason, you're making yourself think otherwise. Aren't you supposed to be a genius?"
The smile on Tsukishima lessens and it morphs into a sharper edge. "Did you not hear what I said? Watch your words."
Uninterested, Tobio turns away to grab a new ball from their basket close to their water bottles and towels. "Yeah, right..." Getting a hold of one, he spins it on his palm while looking back at the still heated stare of Tsukishima. Not second guessing it, he suddenly throws the ball towards Tsukishima.
With a startled grunt, Tsukishima catches it with his hands on reflex, but not without immediately glaring at the unbothered Tobio. "What the hell?"
Tobio huffed, determined. "I'll make you reach it, watch me."
Tsukishima deadpans, now holding the ball with just one hand. "Cocky as always. I'm so happy to serve you, Your Majesty." And yet he all but quietly complies, forwarding the ball towards Tobio's positioned hands as the latter rolled his eyes.
No doubt, Tobio had been proven right in the end, as they both regained their position from their jump and eye at the ball dropping on Dateko's side of the court in the midst of their practice match with them. To point it out, fair and square, Tobio smirked at Tsukishima. "So you can fly."
Tsukishima only gave him an unimpressed glare, but Tobio's preening doesn't miss the look in the blonde's eyes as he pulled it away before their match resumed. It leaves him with the familiar fulfillment as a setter that successfully tossed to his spiker. It went much better than he expected, but it was still an expectation of his.
That was the start of their unreachable role when they are close in the new rotations of their match, another additional thrill for Tobio besides being at the center stage at National's. They win from Inarizaki, go through the longest matches of their lives with Nekoma by surprising everyone from the height of their combo, and-
"I hear Shoyo's aiming for Brazil."
Tobio doesn't choke around the pork bun he's munching on. He grunts in affirmation.
"Seriously?" Yamaguchi whines, still wiping sweat from his forehead. They are already finished with practice of the day and are all cooling off in the club room. "Why am I surprised... give it to Shoyo-kun to take over one world then another."
"Wouldn't that mean he'll have to learn Portuguese?" Tsukishima lightly scoffs, sitting with his legs sprawled while resting on a nearby wall, eyes closed and without his glasses. "Goodluck to him with that endeavor, then."
Tobio grabs another pork bun from the plastic bag around his wrist. "He's already getting lessons between classes. On the teachers' lounge." Ukai gave it to him after the others didn't want to claim the extra ones. It was something about being sort of a small celebration after surviving such a thrilling and impressive year for Karasuno, the coach said.
"Seriously?" Yamaguchi repeats with an impressive guffaw. "Willingly? Hinata? That same Hinata Shoyo?"
There's no distaste around Tobio's tongue. He just feels thoughtful. "He'd do anything for volleyball."
Yamaguchi hums at that a few beats later, as if finding something fascinating in his face. "Would you also be open in going overseas if it comes down to it, Kageyama-kun?"
Tobio blinks. He takes a cursory glance at Tsukishima just to see if the blonde was even listening, but he's startled to find uncovered eyes already looking at him. Tobio looks down, thinking about it. "...The only thing left after Japan is international. I wouldn't be opposed." He thinks of Kazuyo. He thinks of a failed entrance exam. He thinks of his already non-existent college life before it has even begun. He thinks of his parents' approval. He nods. "I'm not letting that idiot win against me."
Just thinking about being beaten by Hinata on going overseas first already makes his brows furrow, scowl starting to form.
Yamaguchi grimaces, though it edges towards a mix of exasperation and amazement all the same. "Wow. You... you two really will become rivals until you get old, huh." He blinks, watching Tobio curl the wrapping of his last pork bun into a ball before tossing it inside its plastic bag. Yamaguchi chuckles, before turning to Tsukishima. "What about you, Tsukki?"
"No, thank you." Tsukishima immediately declines with a snort. He guides his glasses from the ground back to his face with practiced ease. "Japan is enough for me."
"Hmm." Yamaguchi taps a finger on his chin. "I'll probably go to college, take a decent bachelor's and try to find my way from there." He laughs as he picks up his bag. "I can't believe we'll be graduating next year. Time's flying way too fast!"
"Classes literally just started two months ago." Tsukishima rolled his eyes, not waiting for any of them as he exits the clubroom with his discarded polo around his arm. "Worry about Interhigh first."
"Ah, that reminds me! Won't there also be new first years in Aoba Johsai? I wonder what new things they'll be showing us. And where's Shoyo-kun?"
"Hurried back home because Natsu fell down the stairs in school." Tobio breathes in the cold air of late spring, suddenly wanting to have his scarf with him.
"WHAT?!" Yamaguchi almost snaps his head in half and fell down the stairs form the club room himself from the visceral reaction. "Is she okay?!" He breathes in.
"Seemed like it from the phone call." Tobio gets a hold around Yamaguchi's arm to steady his footing. "Hinata quickly told me it was three flights of stairs before running off to his bike."
Yamaguchi looks down, and his expression softens even just a little around his worry. "Ah, thank you, Kageyama-kun. Natsu-chan, though..." He puts a concerned hand towards his cheek, continuing his descend and joined by Tobio who had finally let go of him. "I sure hope she didn't get hurt that badly."
Tobio combed through his freshly-washed hair, still a bit wet from minutes ago, "You can visit her to check."
Yamaguchi grins. "That's a great idea! Hey, Tsukki!" He calls out to Tsukishima who was already close to the school gates a few feet away from them. "Tsukki! Wait for us!"
Tobio doesn't quicken his steps and just watches Yamaguchi run to Tsukishima who already had his headphones around his ears. Though the setter notices that Tsukishima stopped just past the gate and didn't continue walking further even with Yamaguchi already talking beside him. Tobio thinks they might have waited for him and it was Yamaguchi's verbal idea. He leaves that thought on the back of his mind and catches up to the two best friends.
"One year of being teammates and we still haven't been in Shoyo-kun's house. Yours, too, Kageyama!" Yamaguchi leads the walk, seeming to be commencing the plan to visit the injured Natsu.
Tobio tilts his head, his house being brought up catching his attention as he grabbed a small carton of a dairy drink from his bag. "My house is not as big as Hinata's. And I only have Tekken to play with."
"Why are you comparing your house to Shoyo-kun's?" Yamaguchi looks at him as if he was being silly. The freckled-boy smiles in amusement. "We just want to visit and hang out with you, Kageyama. Mansion or rusty shack or otherwise."
"'We?'" Tsukishima offhandedly quips, seeming to have heard everything even while listening to music. Or whatever he's listening to. Tobio doesn't try to figure that out. Never really found a need to. He watches Yamaguchi elbow Tsukishima for it but the taller just grunted in response.
"I don't mean it as anything negative." Tobio's lips let go of the straw of his drink. "But. Okay."
"Great!" Yamaguchi claps once, clear satisfaction on his face. He then looks around and registers where they already are. "Ah. It seems this is where we'll be splitting up." He smiles at Kageyama. "Bye, Kageyama-kun! Have a good evening!"
Tobio looks around as well, before humming. "You too. See you tomorrow." He stiffly waves. He's not aware it looks that way.
He watches Yamaguchi pointedly slapping Tsukishima on the back with his unoccupied hand, the blonde grunting with tension in his figure before he sighed. He puts his headphones down to his neck. "See you." He echoes towards Tobio, no emotion betraying his monotonous tone.
Tobio raises a brow, feeling a familiar simmer of annoyance under his skin. Ultimately, he just snorts and turns around. He starts his path towards back home with only faraway birds and yellow halos from nightlamps accompanying him. It's the same as always.
Days after, on a Friday night, all the second years now with Yachi in tow are following Hinata up the hill leading to his house, his familiar bike beside him. "Ah, this is so exciting! You know, my mom's been wondering when I will invite you guys for dinner since our entrance ceremony! She probably already has a feast cooking right now."
They had taken a bus that was the only vehicle they could have ridden, with how far Hinata's house was from Karasuno. Hinata confessed that he didn't want them to go through his usual thirty-minute trek so he asked around for some time before confirming they could finally visit.
"That's so thoughtful of Hinata-san." Yachi claps once with a shy smile. "It's a shame I didn't see her then."
Hinata thoughtfully hums. "Yeah, well, she quickly left after dropping me off that day. She was going to Sendai to meet with her friends."
"Wasn't it to meet a cousin?" Tobio raised a brow, detecting the conflict of information. The woman told him himself when the mother and son duo saw him walking towards the gymnasium before the program started that morning.
"No way! No way!" Hinata disagreed, however. "It was definitely her friends! Besides, how would you know, Kageyama!?"
Tobio rolled his eyes before smacking the ginger's face, finding their proximity to be closer than what he had thought. It successfully made Hinata yell. "Chiaki-san told me herself, you dumbass. You were literally there." He hurried up, not wanting to have another useless argument from the spiker.
He still heard it, anyway, from how loud Hinata's voice was, as shameless as it is to yelling in the middle of the road. In the evening, at that. "Who are you calling a dumbass?!"
Tobio blocks out his voice as he yawns, not even trying to argue back. Even if he had caught his 8-hour sleep last night until he woke up at 5 AM, Tobio's body betrayed him today. He had already felt tired right after lunch break.
When he sees the familiar framing of trees around a one-floored house from the distance, Tobio almost caught himself sighing in relief, but a sudden weight around his back makes him stumble in his step, and he's already trying to get away even before hearing Hinata's cackling. "Fuck! Get away from me, you bastard-!"
"Catch me if you ca- WOAH!!"
Tobio catches both of their weights with his hand before he could face-plant on the ground, Hinata still clutching tightly around his jacket. He slowly tilts his head behind him with a mad look. "You moron."
An undignified squeak is all that's heard before Hinata jumps away and sprints towards the front lawn of his own house, already halfway towards the door.
"Ugh." Tobio glares at the small scratches on his palm, before dusting it off with the other, small rocks flickering away from the movement.
"Are you hurt, Kageyama-kun?" He feels Yachi's gentle touch on his wrist before he even heard her.
He doesn't flinch, surprisingly enough. He grunts. "I'm fine. But that bastard won't be once I get my hands on him." He glares at the left-opened front door of the Hinata house, the spiker's shoes already on the visible genkan.
Yamaguchi laughs from behind them. They continue their walk towards inside the house with Yachi in front. "I'm surprised you didn't just chase him inside to scuffle."
Tobio removes his shoes with practiced ease, then putting it beside Hinata's. "Excuse the intrusion." He looks back at Yamaguchi. "Chiaki-san doesn't like it when we fight inside the house."
"You've been here before?" Yamaguchi blinks, in the midst of removing his own shoes.
Tobio tilts his head. "I have. Just once." He turns to the doorway on the right before them leading to the living room, with a kotatsu already in front of the television and on the center of two double-seat couches. It's accompanied by plates and water-filled glasses.
Tobio looks around for Hinata, hears the spiker's voice on the kitchen and heads towards the direction. He ducks as to not bump his head on the doorway framing it, something that had happened on that first visit and earned him an irritating laugh from a familiar ginger.
Tobio is greeted by Chiaki's kind smile, holding a pot with smoke escaping its lid between her hands, Hinata himself searching something from the fridge behind her with little hums. "Tobio, dear, would you be a kind boy and put this on the table for me? Careful, it's hot." He gets a hold of the ceramic with a nod. "Don't rush it, though. Those potholders are a bit thin with how old they are now, sorry." She chuckles.
"It's nothing, Chiaki-san." Tobio shakes his head and nods at the smiling woman before heading out of the kitchen. Back in the living room, he sees Yamaguchi and the others standing awkwardly behind the couch. They immediately turn to him, then to what he was holding. "What are you doing just standing there? Sit." He nods to the kotatsu.
"But- we haven't even greeted Hinata-san yet..." Yachi nervously plays with her fingers.
"Oh, wow, that smells really good..." Yamaguchi whispers, eyeing the hotpot as Tobio puts it down the kotatsu, forgetting decorum for a split second.
"Where's Hinata?" Tsukishima bores on the side.
"In the kitchen, with Chiaki-san."
"Not anymore!" The boisterous laugh makes them turn their heads and finds Hinata hugging four soda cans before laying them down the kotatsu beside the plates and glassware. "Is Natsu still doing her homework?" He turns to his mother.
Chiaki exits the kitchen while wiping her hands with a washcloth before hanging it on a nearby hanger on the wall. "She is." She paints them all with a warm gaze. "Finally, I get to meet all of Shoyo's friends altogether! It's so lovely to meet you all."
"Thank you for having us, Hinata-san!" Yamaguchi beams, now visibly glancing back at the hotpot.
"T-thank you for having us!" Yachi stammers, blushing.
Tsukishima bows a little. "Thank you, Hinata-san."
"Oi! Kageyama! Why aren't you saying your greetings as well!" Hinata mocks, hands around his hips in front of Tobio who had already sat himself in front of the food and organizing the utensils for everyone.
"I already greeted her in the kitchen." Tobio huffs. "Maybe if you weren't so busy ogling the soda, you would have noticed."
"Why, you-"
"Shoyo-kun." Chiaki cuts off the tension with a scolding, pointed look at her son.
Hinata flinches, as if caught red handed. He sheepishly grinned. "Sorry!"
"Serves you right." Tobio rolls his eyes.
"Shut up! Who says you can talk to me like that in my own house?!"
"Aren't they a handful..." Chiaki is heard exasperatedly sighing to the other three. Two chuckle and one doesn't provide anything.
"Is that nii-san?" A young voice is heard from the hallway. Natsu's head pops up from the doorway of the living room and her mouth gapes from the faces she hadn't seen inside her home before. "Ah! Nii-san's friends! H-hello!" Her stance turns shy, stiffly bowing.
"Natsu!" Hinata walks to her. "Why are you walking on your own? I told you to call for me!"
Natsu pouts. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore. You're exaggerating..."
Yamaguchi winces at the sight of her bruises. "Those say otherwise."
Natsu whines, clutching on her older brother's shirt. "Okay, maybe I need help with my seat..."
"Aye, aye!" Hinata salutes, as if receiving a command, and hoists Natsu up to his shoulders. The child doesn't even yelping in surprise, evidently used to it already. Hinata lays her down two seats away from Tobio's.
Yachi coos at the display. "How cute! I wish I had a younger sibling..." She sighs to her hand cupping her own cheek.
"Ah, that reminds me. You're an only child, right, Yachi-san?" Yamaguchi comments as he follows everyone towards their own seats on the kotatsu, dragging Tsukishima on his sleeve with him. The blonde lets himself get pulled.
Yachi nods. "I am. And you are as well, right?"
"Yeah. But," Yamaguchi grins, eyeing Tsukishima beside him. "Akiteru-san already coddles me enough. All is well!"
"You wouldn't be saying that if you've known him since birth." Tsukishima removes his glasses, away from the smoke still emitting from the now opened hotpot that seemed to target him. Tobio almost snorts out-loud at the sight.
When everyone's seated, they all says their thanks before starting to grab their own portions. Yamaguchi laughs at what Tsukishima said. "And what if you were the older sibling like Shoyo-kun, then?"
It sends a distasteful grimace on Tsukishima's face. "No."
"Kageyama here's a younger sibling too. Guess you two have that in common, huh?" Hinata nudges Tobio on the side while chewing around a big mouthful.
Tobio glares at him. "You made me spill my soup." He eyes the droplet of liquid beside his soda can.
Yachi gasps. She detects herself that it was quite loud and coughs, covering her reddening face and avoiding everyone's eyes. Yamaguchi pats her back while she splutters. "K-Kageyama-kun has an older sibling...?"
"I do." Tobio simply nods, in the midst of scooping rice between his chopsticks. "Her name's Miwa. She just graduated last year from university."
"Kageyama, being coddled by an older sister..." Yamaguchi still has his mouth gaped around his raised chopsticks, the meat and vegetables between it close to falling off.
Hinata audibly gulps his drink before laughing at the scenario. "That's something that I would like to see, for sure! Grumpy-yama getting pinched on the cheeks by Miwa-san." He coos, waving his fingers in front of Tobio's face.
"Oi." Tobio pointedly snarls at the ginger beside him, slapping his wiggly hands away. The latter only sticks his tongue out. Tobio makes a look. "Nee-san doesn't pinch my cheeks." Then, he's thoughtful, looking down at the spoonful he grabbed of his soup. "Only sometimes."
"Oh my god." Yamaguchi's jaw full-on drops before he delightfully laughs, on the brink of being scandalized at what he had possibly just imagined. "This is a moment in history."
"You're exaggerating." Tsukishima's nose scrunches up, looking down at the meat Yamaguchi dropped. "You're making a mess, Yamaguchi."
"Oh!" Yamaguchi's head snaps down before tossing his head in every direction in panic, then ultimately landing on Chiaki who was watching everything with a smile on her lips. "I-I'm sorry, Hinata-san, do you have a tissue I can use?"
"Chiaki is fine, my dear." Chiaki smile softens a little before turning to Hinata who was already on his third bowl of rice. "Shoyo, can you grab some napkins in the kitchen?"
Hinata almost chokes again from how fast he gulped down what he was eating. "Ous!" He quickly stands up, flattens the kotatsu's mat on Natsu's side before heading towards the kitchen.
Yachi places her glass of water on the table before smiling. "It's kind of refreshing to see Hinata-kun acting the way he is at home like how he does in school."
Chiaki hums in interest. "And how does he act like? I asked Tobio-kun here last time but it had been late. Speaking of, did you get home safely that night, dear?"
Everyone turns to him, one just a glance, and he feels it a bit late. When Tobio looks up and sees all of them looking at him, he blinks. "What?" His mind registers what was being asked of him. "Uh, yes. I did. I just waited for nee-san to come home at ten before going to sleep that day since it was a weekend." Sensing the curious looks, Tobio takes a glance from Hinata who had come back from the kitchen with a napkin holder on his hand before pulling away. "Our parents work overseas in Singapore."
Yamaguchi mouths the last three words with a stunned look. He thanks Hinata for the tissue and scoops up the meat he dropped, wrapping the material around it and leaving it on the underside of his plate. He smiles at Tobio. "That's sweet of you, Kageyama-kun. Waiting for your nee-san like that."
Tobio blinks. Before slowly nodding in contemplation. "I guess." He takes another spoonful of his soup.
"Tobio's the sweetest!" Natsu perks up, energized from her finished meal. "He let me put flowers on his hair from our garden in the backyard once!"
"Flowers?!" Yachi ungracefully wheezed.
Hinata hums as he sits down, wondering what the current conversation was about. "What? What are we talking about?" A smile is still plastered on his lips.
"His Highness and flower crowns, apparently." Tsukishima helpfully fills him in.
"Ah..." Hinata's mouth'o's before he coughs out a familiar cackle. "Do you guys wanna see the pictures?" His expression turns mischievous, holding out his closed flip phone from his pocket.
"Bastard." Tobio gets a tight hold on his neck. "Don't you dare."
Hinata chokes. "Gh- Kag- ya- let go-" Even amidst the threat of him letting out the meal he just had, the spiker successfully unlocked his phone and tossed it towards a panicking Yachi who thankfully caught it before Tobio snatched the device away.
"Let me see!" Yamaguchi scoots closer to Yachi before choking on his spit from what he saw. "Oh. my. god."
Tobio feels embarrassment creeping up his neck. He knows what the photos they were currently staring in awe at looks like. Hinata gasps out the air he was blocked from breathing in, trying to pull on Tobio's grip now around his locks. "Hey! That actually hurts, Stingy-yama! Kaa-san! Look at what he's doing to me--!!!"
Chiaki sighs, helpless. "Tobio-kun. Let go of Shoyo's hair."
Tobio huffs before roughly letting go of Hinata, almost sending him face first to his plate, before he caught a hold on the sides of his crossed legs. Tobio looks down, not wanting to see his peers' reactions. "It really is not that interesting to look at." He kind of feels warmth on his cheeks.
"Are you kidding?" Yamaguchi chuckles, high-pitched and filled with glee. "Kageyama-kun, this can be a best-seller! Thousands of yens, even!"
A choked-off laugh leaves Tsukishima as he looked away. Tobio heard it anyway, even as the blonde disguised it with a pointed cough. "Definitively not in a magazine, that's for sure."
Tobio scowled at him. "What are you trying to say, bastard?"
"Nothing." Tsukishima cocks a brow, daring him.
They stare at each other for a moment, not hearing the others' voices, before Tobio was the first one who looked away. "Whatever." He muttered.
Is he really that awful-looking with flowers on his hair? Tobio tries to imagine Tsukishima with them in spite.
He's not knowledgeable in the names of flowers, but he knows roses and tulips, which were the ones that Natsu put on him in those pictures. Colors of them in red and pink would probably blend well with Tsukishima's blonde hair. Maybe even in the same color, or something with blue. It'd be a contrast with his golden curls, but he'd probably make it work.
Then, an image of Tsukishima looking at him with those same flowers around his hair makes Tobio go still. He shakes his head. Why am I even thinking about this...
When he recovers from the out-of-the-blue imagination, Tobio accidentally lays his gaze on Tsukishima who is still being shown his images by a grinning Yamaguchi. He grows witness to Tsukishima rolling his eyes and pushing the phone away by the back of his hand. Tobio looks away. He doesn't quite hear what Tsukishima said, still trying to calm the warmth on his skin seemingly out of nowhere.
His moment of embarrassment becomes nothing but a distant memory when they're already on their second day of the familiar Tokyo training camp. They had won their match with Aoba Johsai in the Interhigh Preliminaries but ultimately lost to Date Tech for Qualifiers. Now, the familiar echoes of cicadas in the summer air is what Tobio breathes in at the moment, instead of the smell of rubber and salonpas.
They have been given thirty minutes by their coaches to rest and wash up, and Tobio found himself resting under one of the tree outside, away from the afternoon sun. He had already bathed hours ago in the morning, so all he needed was wash the sweat away from his hair on a nearby faucet outside the gymnasium.
In the middle of making himself comfortable on the grass below, Tobio flinches from hearing a heavy thump from behind him. His brows furrow towards the other side of the tree trunk. "Who-"
"Shut up, King." Tsukishima's audibly tired, panting voice makes Tobio freeze. "Let me rest here after running away from Lev-san chasing me for more drills until we're called back again."
Tobio scoffs at the rudeness, his body still paused around the air, before slumping down himself and crossing his arms. "Are there no other trees available for you to rest on?" He thought he was going to get some alone time himself. Tsukishima really just had to ruin it.
He hears Tsukishima snort, though it's not as snarky as it usually is. It falls flat, making Tobio frown. "What? Have you marked this wonderful tree as your territory? This lowly one beg His Majesty's pardon, if that's the case."
"Ugh." Tobio groans. "Would you stop that? And didn't you say you're here to rest? You shut up and close your eyes, then."
"Whatever His Majesty commands."
Tobio grumbles, about to stand up and let the middle blocker finally take his fist on the face instead of his collar just like the first time, but he restrained himself. Instead, he clutches them into tight circles, hugging his legs. It's no use beating the other up. It's the same as always. Tsukishima rises the bait, Tobio bites around it viciously, thenㅡThen.
Then what? Tobio huffs a breath between his knees. The wind's too cold for his hot-headed thoughts. He lets go of them, at that thought.
A few minutes later, he hears footsteps and he slightly raises his head with only one eye visible. Tobio sees Yamaguchi looking left and right and when the freckled-boy sees him, he opens his mouth but Tobio puts a finger in front of his lips in a silencing motion. Yamaguchi quickly snaps his mouth shut.
Tobio lays his temple on his knee, pointing a thumb in Tsukishima's direction. "If you're looking for the blonde bastard. Says he's resting." He gruffly says with minimal volume, still on the edge of near-sleep from the time he had his eyes closed.
Yamaguchi's mouth forms an 'o' before he softly smiles. "Take care of him, okay?" He says without volume.
Tobio didn't get a chance to convey his confusion before Yamaguchi waved and turned away, returning down the hill. Tobio is left blankly blinking at the grass, before he glances behind him without moving. He sighed. He thinks that this, probably, is the most that him and Tsukishima have spent with one another in close proximity with just them two, if it even counts with a tree separating them. Tobio thinks it counts.
He looks up at the sky, bright and blue and accompanied by the rare dust of clouds. He looks elsewhere and most of them have gathered in that one spot. There, however, where that lone tree stood, the only thing Tobio sees is a blank canvas of bright cobalt.
It keeps his mind empty, sometimes with volleyball and dinner popping up. But, ultimately, he feels the minutes that have been given for a break are now being spent by him in a productive way. He's resting. He doesn't feel tired.
He didn't know when he had closed his eyes but when he registered where he was, Tobio sees Tsukishima leaning on the tree with his shoulder, staring down at him. "Cute. You even drool in your sleep." He says with the most bored tone one can ever do.
Prickling rage boils on Tobio's skin, and along with mortification, they all quickly snap him awake. "SHUP UP! How long were you even w-watching me...?! You creepy bastard!" He stumbles as he stands up, pointing an accusatory finger at Tsukishima.
Tsukishima stares at it before raising a brow with a smirk. "Long enough." Then he leaves Tobio. Just like that. Just like that.
He's so!!! HE'S SOOO......!!!!!! Tobio was close to exploding into smithereens. "TSU. KI. SHI. MAAAAAA!!!!!"
Later on, deep into the night, after getting scolded both by Tanaka and Yamaguchi at the ruckus they caused that ultimately snapped a string of the volleyball basket in half, Tobio finds himself grumbling under his breath after a coin he was about to slot inside the vending machine slipped from his fingers, ultimately rolling under the heavy contraption.
He's in the midst of trying to grab a spare one that could possibly be inside his pockets when he sees the annoyingly familiar figure of Tsukishima rounding up the corner, who seemed to notice him as well, with how the taller stood still when they made eye contact.
Tobio's gaze narrowed before looking away, instead pointing his attention back to important matters, which was the coin he's trying to get for a can of a cold latte. Where is it...
"Need a coin?" He looks up to find Tsukishima had stepped close, watching him scuffle with his shorts.
Ugh. That reaction always seemed to be easily triggered out of him whenever Tsukishima's around. Tobio huffs. "It slipped under the vending machine. But I know I have a spear." I just have to find it somewhere, damn it...
"Here."
Tobio freezes, turns his head while still having his hand down his pockets, and sees an unamused Tsukishima holding out a 100-yen coin. At least he looks that way, from the way the nightlights of the buildings around them laid a glare on his glasses, hiding his eyes. Tobio looks back at the coin again.
Begrudgingly, he reaches for it, trying to avoid their skin touching. "...Thanks." He tries not to show a reaction when they inevitably do, the cold surface of Tsukishima's fingertips a contrast to his warm ones. He checks the cost of his drink once again inside the vending machine before inserting the coins and pressing the button under the cold latte.
Cracking it open as he rests in front of the machine, Tobio gulps two big ones of the drink, sighing right after. He licks his lips, tasting the slight sweetness of the caffeine. Just the right balance, with the edge of being bitter.
He knew there's no chance of sleeping even before he pushed himself up from his futon. Now there really won't be. Tobio looks down and shakes the cold drink in a gentle motion, hearing it stumble inside the metal-made material.
"Coffee in this hour?" Tsukishima's voice reminds him he isn't alone. Ugh. "And here I thought you're the epitome of a healthy magazine."
Tobio glares at him. "I do it rarely. It's been months." He looks a way, spite in his gaze. So he stares down at solid concrete. He's tired. He feels awake. He wants to lay down. He wants to do a hundred drills. Tobio wants to do something.
"Nightmares?"
Tobio admits he's surprised Tsukishima is even talking to him at all, willingly at that. He could have walked away moments ago, leave with familiar insults that he doesn't give Tobio the chance to snap back at, and ultimately having the final world. But there he was, on the wall beside the vending machine Tobio is leaning on, with his arms crossed. Tobio doesn't know what to make out of it.
He feels the coldness and the buzzing of caffeine making him relax. Tobio breathes out. He lets his shoulder's slightly slump down, away from his guard and tension. "No. I just- can't sleep." He lamely ends. He doesn't know what's wrong with him, where this restlessness came from. It's starting to make him on edge, and that doesn't help whatsoever with volleyball.
"Hm. Insomnia then."
Tobio's brows furrow at the somewhat familiar word. Ultimately, he sighs, taking another sip. "Maybe."
He doesn't know what expression Tsukishima has on, but he feels his gaze, though Tobio also doesn't know what that means. A year and a half of knowing him and Tobio doesn't really know Tsukishima at all. The dimmed atmosphere of the setting around them brings him back to the scene he had stumbled upon last year, with Yamaguchi yelling at Tsukishima. He still doesn't know what that was about. What he knows is that he could ask the blonde about it right now, at that moment, but they don't work like that.
How do they even work?
The lack of sleep is perhaps catching up on Tobio with how much he's thinking about anything he could think of in the impossible hour, drinking a latte, then Tsukishima a few feet away from it. It's way too confusing for him to process all in one evening. Tobio shakes his head at the thought of it all.
He sighs. "What are you still doing here?" He mutters, eyes closed. Tsukishima might not hear him.
Audible movement tells him otherwise. "I might get in trouble if I let our star setter pass out in the middle of the night outside."
Impossibly, Tobio huffs out a laugh between his lips. It's merely a breath, maybe even closer to a scoff. But he's tired, he's on edge, and drinking coffee after months of not doing it possibly has something to do with how silly he suddenly feels. Ah. This is why I stopped drinking it. I'm such an idiot.
"Not passing out." He breathes out, finally opening his eyes. He turns to Tsukishima who was already silently watching out. "I'm not letting myself fall asleep around you again. Else you're gonna be a bastard about it, one more time."
"Pity. And here I was, just about to tuck you into bed like the royal servant I am."
"Fuck you."
It's an olive branch, if how he sees it is the correct way. He still doesn't get the analogy but he also doesn't fully get why Tsukishima is doing this. Tobio can't find it in himself to walk away and go back to his futon, spending another sleepless night then pretending nothing was happening the morning after. Well, nothing would happen, he wouldn't sleep.
This is how they work. Tsukishima raises the bait, Tobio bites around it viciously, then it starts all over again. But does the other share the same sentiment? Being his teammate, he's supposed to be more clearer than their opponents, but just like the textbooks he had tried to study, the questions that almost made him not join the Tokyo camp all over again-
Tobio could never figure out Tsukishima. Their dynamic, it's familiar, but the person he shares that dynamic with? Tobio still doesn't know him at all.
They are all thoughts that didn't dwell on him the last year. Another unfamiliar thing. Another new revelation he has to figure out for himself. It leads Tobio to a point-blank conclusion. And he has no other choice but to leave it at that, a non-existent hypothesis laid out in the open fields.
For now, though, Tobio looks up at the sky, now dark and littered with stars compared to the brightness of hours ago, and finds himself resting inches away from Tsukishima's silent, unmoving figure, just like he had been at those same bright hours now gone by.
Months go further, and Tobio finds himself with a tight-stringed, strawberry-themed party hat wrapped around his head. He's trying really hard not to hit Hinata on the jaw. He's only stopping himself because he still needs the bastard up and going for the Qualifiers.
"BWAHAHAHAHA! Look at the contrast of Grumpy-yama and the pink colors!" Shoyo has long uncared about the pitiful way he fell off from the bleachers with how hard he'd been laughing and taking pictures of Tobio across his seat. It's been this way since they came inside the gymnasium.
"I can't believe I'm saying this..." Tadashi sighs, wiping non-existent tears on his eyes, wearing his own strawberry shortcake hat. "You look really cute, Tobio. You should wear pink more often." Then, he sighs affectionately again.
Tobio doesn't know when he got promoted from 'Kageyama-kun' to 'Tobio-kun' and 'Tobio-senpai' by everyone, but he doesn't have any complaints about it. He doesn't have any thoughts about it at all. He just- doesn't mind. Simple as that. He tries to share the same sentiment, though he still slips up sometimes, especially with their senpai's. Another one, however-
"Kei-kun's going to be so surprised." Hitoka warmly smiles, helping with the balloons. They had only brought minimal decorations for minimal cleanup, since they still have practice until lunch break.
"I don't have any pink clothes." Tobio grimaces at Tadashi's comment. He likes dark and neutral tones more than the others. Rarely does his parents also give him bright-colored clothing, sharing his taste in fashion. Miwa is the only menace in his wardrobe, bringing oranges and bright purples from her thrift adventures sometimes.
Shoyo loudly gasps for air from where he's still laying on the floor, clutching his heart. "Have- mercy on my-" Cough. "dear heart, Tadashi-"
Hitoka worriedly glances at the ginger, before seemingly deciding he will be fine. She appears thoughtful. "I think light pink on the edge of white will look good on you, Tobio-kun."
Tobio shakes his head, trying to un-feel the shame he feels. He's come to noticed everyone keeps teasing him now, even the first years when they get the courage to. Tobio feels mortified every time. But he doesn't really hate it. It's just embarrassing. And knowing how red he looks makes it worse.
"Ugh." Tobio grumbles. "What's taking that bastard so long." He massages the skin under the tight string of the hat. "Can you adjust this..."
"I told you. Akiteru-san's annoying him as much as possible, that's why he's running late. Though," Tadashi glances at the clock. "It's taking him a bit longer than usual. Maybe he got surprised back home as well. Wouldn't be something new."
"Ah- you can remove it for now if it's too uncomfortable, Tobio-kun." Hitoka holds out a helping hand, smiling kindly.
Tobio grunts, about to remove it, but profound curses is heard on the entrance of the gymnasium, quickly followed by a squeak from Tadashi. Tobio watches all of them crowd around the door, then startles when Shoyo grabs a handful of his shirt, on the edge of ripping it off of him, before being unceremoniously tossed beside Yamaguchi holding a small strawberry-vanilla flavored cake in front of the frozen Tsukishima.
Everyone pertains to him informally now, but when it comes to the figure being celebrated in this one day, Tobio is unchanging.
When Shoyo unkindly slaps his back, Tobio is pushed to face Tsukishima who is still trying to process everything. Tobio frowns. "Happy birthday, bastard." He gruffly greets, in a way he knows.
"Oi! Did you really need that last bit?!"
He felt Shoyo smack him on the head, making him look down at his shoes for a moment, but when he looks up and he sees the twitch on the corners of Tsukishima's lips, an easy clue that he's about to burst out a coughing guffaw, Tobio groans. He rolls his eyes. He knows he looks like he's still glaring at Tsukishima, but it's the kindest he can ever be to the other. "Happy birthday."
Tadashi laughs, clapping a couple of times with the cake now held by Tsukishima himself. "Wonderful! Okay, now hug it out-"
"To hell with hugging-"
"Ew."
"What, bastard?!"
Tsukishima doesn't entertain him. He only throws him a leveled stare, testing him. He's been doing it for quite a while. Tobio doesn't know when it started, but it's an unfamiliar change. He crosses his arm, brushes off Shoyo's hold around his arm. Ugh. Tobio's nose crinkles, still glowering at Tsukishima.
"Gee, we get it. You hate each other even with the underlining whatever-y." Shoyo whines beside him, clearly up to something. "Now, can we have the cake, please?"
Tsukishima makes an undignified squawk unexpected of him while Tobio raises a confused brow at the ginger. "What the hell are you talking about."
Tadashi seemed to recover from his own form hysteria, Hitoka not at all, and the few first years are still respectfully looking away at a near distance, waiting for said cake. "Okay, okay. Let us all remind ourselves that we deserve to be near-adults-"
"Yamayama doesn't relate-"
"What the fu-"
Tadashi sighs, helpless, giving up. "Daichi-senpai. Chikara-senpai. Why would you leave me with such a big responsibility, even heavier than Nationals..." He looks up at the sky, as if being blessed by the visions of their upperclassmen.
Tobio tunes out the irritating whines Shoyo makes towards him and looks away, but he registers too late that that same direction was where Tsukishima still was. Caught red handed, Tsukishima swallows half a strawberry while still narrowly looking at Tobio. Tobio smirks.
"Sweet tooth."
"What about it." Tsukishima raises a bow. He shamelessly licks frosting from his finger.
Tobio's mouth curls up in disgust. "You just came from outside."
"Can't believe the King's such a clean-freak he's telling me off on my own birthday."
"Who says you can't tell someone off on their birthday-"
"Whoops."
Tobio all but stands frozen, stunned, as everyone turned dead silent, staring at him, tense. He feels stickiness akin to sweat slowly dripping down his cheek. In difference, it smells sweet, close to his nose, as sweet as the victory painting Tsukishima's cheshire grin before he walked away, licking off another layer of frosting on his finger.
Warmth rises on Tobio's skin like his clenched fists, veins popping out his forehead. "To hell with birthday rules. I'm killing that moron."
He did not kill the moron. In fact, he was teamed up with him just moments later. Something about birthday privileges and Tsukishima being allowed to use anyone he wants.
Even Ryu, whom Tobio expected to be fuming just like him, only boisterously laughed before complying with being the opposing middle blocker on the other team to challenge Tsukishima. Tobio wanted to take revenge and set to the bastard as poorly as possible, but his pride as a setter is not allowing him, making perfect tosses instead.
He looks down at his calloused hands and feels utterly betrayed for the first time in his life.
No matter, Tobio thinks that perhaps, maybe, the spite is worth it when Tsukishima's strangely good mood had him reaching spikes higher than what they have tried from time to time.
"Holy fucking shit!" Ryu's jaw drops before clutching his stomach to cackle. "That might be taller than the damn basketball hoops, at this point!"
"Don't be ridiculous." Tsukishima lands with practiced ease after spiking mere inches before the height of the poles framing the net. He steadies his crooked glasses from the flight with taped fingers. "You're exaggerating. It's pro-"
Tobio doesn't hear anything else as he looks down at his shaky hands once again right after following the ball that's now being grabbed by a running Hitoka. He feels the familiar buzz of success as a setter making him want to do a thousand serves from how jumpy he is. With a shaky grin, he looks up, celebratory words on the tip of his tongue, before he freezes and sees Tsukishima gaping down at him.
Ah. Right. Tobio finds it hard to close his mouth. His hand twitched from its position ready for another to collide with it, and he's about to pull away, to willingly get smacked by a thousand spikes by Shoyo on the head, when he hears Tsukishima snort and following it with a slap on Tobio's hand with the back of his own.
Adrenaline rushes through Tobio, and before Tsukishima could even step away, he grabs the blonde's wrist and traps his whole hand between it, yelling out questions one after another, not even stuttering. Did you train outside of practice for this? How many drills do you do? Is the cake a factor? How much sugar is needed? Why didn't you tell me you could do that? Let's do it again but with a back toss-
Amidst his verbosity, he watches Tsukishima gape, then baffled, then quietly stunned, before his lips twitch in that familiar way again, until it all erupts with a loud laugh. A laugh. With genuine volume. It's a sound that Tobio hasn't heard before. It stops his rambling. It empties his mind, makes him forget about the words he had known, words used in volleyball. Volleyball.
And yet it all goes back to that one sport.
"Would you-" Tsukishima chokes around his still heart-clenching laugh. "I-I-" He coughs, breathes in air, but there's still an astounded grin straining his lips. "Give a guy a breather, fuck-" Breathes in, and out, not pulling away from Tobio's grasp. He puts his unoccupied hand towards his chest. "You really just- I can't believe you're doing the same thing you did to Kozume-san to me-"
Tobio is reminded of who he was, where he was, and who he was talking to. He grumbles, brows furrowed. "Just answer me, damn it! This can make us place higher on Nationals-"
Finally regaining himself, Tsukishima pointedly sighs, patting Tobio's hold around him with gentleness Tobio didn't know he was ever capable of. Towards him, that is. "We have weeks before the Spring Tournament. Don't be absurd. And don't torment me with questions like that ever again."
Tobio scowls even further, but a pointed look from Tsukishima makes him hesitate. Tsukishima slyly smirks. "One at a time, King. One at a time."
Tobio's eyes narrow. Ugh. He turns away, off to find another volleyball for them to use. "Whatever." On his way, things turned oddly silent once again, and he looks around, noticing everyone either pointedly looking away, red on the face, or covering their mouths. Except Tsukishima who was attempting to choke Tadashi on the side for some reason.
Tobio raises a brow when he catches Shoyo's eye from where he had been grinning at him on the ball basket. "I never knew you'd be so shameless, Yamayama. A successful one, at that!"
"What the hell are you even talking about, you dumbass." Tobio rolled his eyes, slamming a volleyball on Shoyo's face, making the wing spiker loose his hold on the basket and falling on the floor with a yell. Tobio grabs another ball, easily spins it around a finger while walking, before tossing it to Hitachi who was guiding their practice on their side of the gym.
Tobio takes his past position and glares up at Tsukishima. "I'm making you do that again. Fuck your birthday privileges."
Tsukishima whistles, bored. "Not an unusual command from His Majesty. I wouldn't dare oppose."
Tobio gets ready for their junior's serve on Ryu's team. "Fuck you."
"Hm."
As always, there will always be a spiteful event that bites Tobio on the ass, and he can't dwell on new techniques, on new quicks, or even new ways to block. Oh, if only he could block out the numbers and words on the paper in front of him in class.
And as if life was taking pity on him, he hears the bell signaling the end of class when he was already on his way to close his textbooks. The practiced goodbye to their teacher and how he swiftly put his supplies inside his bag felt nothing but a blur, until he's just staring off into the corner of the classroom, not really thinking about anything.
"-ama-kun!"
Tobio moves his head away from where it was resting on the wooden mop around his hand. "Hm? Yes?"
He turns to see his classmate, Yasuhara, with a furrow on her brows. "Kageyama-kun, you can't be dozing off like that in the middle of cleaning. Alright. Here. Why don't you switch with me instead?"
The setter eyes the board eraser on her hand. He mentally shrugs. "Sure."
Yasuhara hums in contentment, gently tapping him on the arm. "Just don't tell anyone. Chin up!" And off she goes to mopping the corners Tobio probably forgot to clean himself.
He sighs, walking towards the board in front that's still filled with writing. I want to practice already... Tobio tries not to sigh harder just from his clear memory of the gymnasium. He's halfway through the writings when the sliding door of the classroom opens. Tobio turns his head and he frowns on queue. "What are you doing here?"
Tsukishima has his arms crossed, leaning on the doorway. "Would you just hurry up. I can't believe I have to wait for you."
Tobio's frown deepens. His hand on the eraser halts. "Who told you to wait for me?"
Tsukishima rolls his eyes. "Everyone's worried that a member of the volleyball freak duo hasn't arrived in the gym before me. I know. Impossible, right? Now hurry."
Ugh. "Then go there before me if bothers you so much, bastard." Tobio glares, now pointedly erasing the writings with force. "Fucking asshole..." He mutters under his breath. For once, he hopes the middle blocker hears it even with the distance.
A giggle from behind makes Tobio pause, then he remembers Yasuhara was still there.
She sheepishly chuckles as if reading his mind. Tobio turns, his hand still moving. "Sorry. I just really haven't heard you talking that way other than with Hinata-kun. I-I mean no offense, of course!"
"How mean of him, right?" Tsukishima seemed to take being ignored an offense, so he decided to move on his own and step beside Tobio in front of the board. Tobio grits his teeth in irritation, off to curse the blonde again when he sees him scoff, eyeing the board. "You missed a spot. How unusual of you with your perfection, Your Majesty."
Not even asking permission, he grabs Tobio's hand that was holding the eraser and starts using it himself on the writings close to the top edge of the board. With the stretch of his head, it's all but obvious, the lack of equality they have in terms of height, that is.
Tobio's brow twitches at even noticing. ...Too close. Tsukishima still had a hold around his wrist, still not finished with erasing on the other, and his shoulder bag is a heavy weight beside Tobio's arm.
The setter's eyes land on an unusually unbuttoned collar of the ever-sophisticated Class 4 student named Tsukishima Kei. It draws Tobio on his adam's apple, and, ultimately, a peak on his collarbone, past his vest and unmarked by a necklace or a mole. Heat rushes in waves on Tobio's cheeks, sudden and all-too-similar to a tsunami more than anything. Fuck, fuck, fuck-
"There." Tsukishima finally, finally, steps away and lets go of his wrist as well. He looks down at the mortified Tobio. He doesn't seem to notice. He always seemed to not notice anything- "I even have to do your cleaning duties for you now, Your Majesty? You've truly fallen off your throne."
Shut up, shut up, shUT UP...!!! "Ugh!" Tobio grits his teeth, pushing Tsukishima out of his way to exit the classroom. He doesn't even say goodbye to Yasuhara. Gods. Did Yasuhara see? Tobio shakes his head, feeling humiliated.
Tobio gasps when he bumps into someone.
"OW! Watch where- huh? Kageyama? Wow, you really are late, that's so embarrassing for you-"
Embarrassing. Tobio feels like he's gonna puke. His face twists. He even lets Shoyo get a hold of his face, even with how awkward it is with their height different. Height difference. Tobio wants to die.
"Kageyama!"
He flinches, vision unblurring. Tobio first sees the worried expression on Shoyo, unnaturally serious. "What's up with you? You look weird."
Tobio grits his teeth. "It's nothing."
Shoyo's eyes narrow. He clicks his tongue, unfamiliarly roughened. "Nothing, my ass. Let's go."
Tobio only looks down. He lets himself get pulled away. It's like he's fully separate from consciousness, even if his rationality says otherwise, glaring at it. Concrete turns to grass, then dirt, then grass again. Finally, they stop in front of a bench behind the school buildings.
Tobio hesitantly sits down. The wind of mid-afternoon makes the hairs around his neck stand up. He breathes in. He closes his eyes and focuses on the way Shoyo was turned away from him. He swallows, then sighs.
Shoyo glances at him. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Tobio looks away, towards the gym. He shuffles his foot and notices he has his shoelaces untied. The sky is as bright as the second day of their Tokyo camp. He still recalls it months later. He thinks of shared pennies. Of glares. Of first highs. Of quiet that lasted more than five minutes. Of a tight string around his neck. Of the walks home. Of glares under glasses. Of an unrecognizable laugh.
He thinks, and lets himself be, left himself get lost in its tides for the first time.
Tobio looks at Shoyo in the eyes. "I think I like Tsukishima."
Shoyo freezes. Then, ultimately, with a volume that threatens to reach across islands until Kyushu- "You WHAAAAAAAAT?!"
Tobio pulls away from Shoyo's hand and plugs his poor ears with his fingers. It's an honest attempt, even if being after the fact. "Fucking hell, tone it down will you." Tobio slightly groans.
As if remembering that he just witnessed Tobio go through the stages of grief, Shoyo gasps, like a bird. How ironic. "Fuck! Sorry! Are you okay, I didn't- I mean wAITTTTT!!!!! Stop distracting me from the fact that you just confessed you like-"
Tobio rolls his eyes, shutting up the ginger with a hand around his potty mouth. "Would you like the whole world hear about your wisdom, you asshole?"
Shoyo quacks, full-on quacks, and slaps his hand away. "You even SOUND like him now! Are you sure you're not down with a fever?! Maybe midterms is getting to you-"
Tobio clicks his tongue. "I'm serious. Can you stop fucking talking now." He narrows his gaze.
Shoyo makes a quick, zipping motion on his mouth. "Yep. Yes sir. Shutting up now." Then, he sheepishly smiled. Then froze. "Okay, but like, you're serious serious."
Tobio looks away. "I'm quitting."
"Oh, wow, you really are, hahahaha-" The spiker's laugh turns full-on manic, on the edge of insanity. "Wow. Is it really that bad to like Tsu-" From Tobio's glare, Shoyo smiles, realizing his mistake. "To like him?"
Tobio deadpans. "What do you think." His mortification already died down from how ridiculous Shoyo had been acting. Now, he wants to play volleyball again. They probably already wasted thirty minutes of practice and just thinking about it makes Tobio frown. "Let's go back. We're already late for warm-ups."
"Are you seriously just leaving me with that big of a bombshell-"
Outside of it all, brushing off all the facts and those he already knows like clockwork, Tobio finds out that it's not surprising he came to like Tsukishima. He still questions why he'd like someone who insults him all the time, however, but that thought is one that makes Tobio have a headache beside the others. He had only been embarrassed that he realized it in a public space, without giving him space, without Tsukishima giving him space, to get a hold of himself.
He had never tried bungee jumping, but maybe the feeling is close to that, from the videos Tobio had watched. Or that feeling of his stomach twisting when they all went to the amusement park while they were still in Tokyo and rode a dinosaur-themed drop tower. His mouth gaped between Shoyo's delighted laugh, Tadashi's blood-curling scream, Tsukishima's silent grunts of fright, and Hitoka's silence. It's a funny feeling. It didn't feel as terrifying as everyone seemed to make it out to be.
It's just different.
And, as if spiting him now, as he relishes in the new, Tsukishima also flutters with change. Maybe it's the transition of autumn to winter. Maybe it's the thill of Karasuno gaining a place in the Spring Tournament once again. Maybe it's because his parents are coming home in a few weeks for his birthday.
"December is your month, Tobio!" Kazuyo used to tell him. And maybe it is.
His. He never tried to use it outside volleyball. His toss. His spikers. His team. His school. They are all his. Outside of volleyball, it's unfamiliar territory, even with a tyrant like Kageyama Tobio. And yet,
"Tobio-kun?" Tobio turns away from his bottle and lays his attention to a smiling Hitoka. It's still shy and shaky around the edges, but she's improving in her confidence. "Would you like something specific for your birthday?"
All footsteps stopped inside the gymnasium. Tobio tilted his head. "My birthday?" He tries to think about it. He never thought about his birthday as a big event for a long time. He'll even practice on it if it wasn't in a weekday unless his family has something planned, which is rarely. This year, it's different, though. "I don't need anything."
Hitoka blinks up at him, before smiling kindly. "Tobio-kun, I'm not talking about what you need. I'm asking about what you would like. Do you like surprises?"
Tobio blinks back. "Well..." He feels unsure. He then catches himself and brushes it off. "I don't mind it. We have classes that day, anyway. And practice-"
"Oh my god, do you only think about practice, you big oaf!" Shoyo tosses himself towards Tobio's side. Tobio is made to catch him with a hand around his waist without no other choice. He stops himself from snapping the spiker's spine in half.
The setter rolls his eyes. "So what? The Spring Tournament is next month-"
"Tobio-kun." Tadashi steps close, laughing lightly. Why is everyone talking with that tone towards him? Tobio grumbles, feeling stuffy. "You're special to us. Of course we want to make your birthday enjoyable. Even if you think it's just one normal day to spend time playing volleyball."
Tobio feels his cheeks warm. He knows it's not from the cold air of mid-December. "...I'll be going on a ski trip with my family in Fujiyama the weekend before."
Shoyo wraps Tobio's arm around his shoulders himself. "Then we'll go to that restaurant Ukai-san took us to after practice on D-Day! Easy-peasy!"
Tobio looks down at him, Shoyo with an expecting grin. There are many restaurants that Ukai had already took them to so there aren't any concrete answers. Tobio looks up at the others waiting for his decision. The weight of it makes Tobio feel slightly awkward. "...Sure. That's fine."
Shoyo hollers, escaping away while waving his arms around the air, earning laughs from their juniors. Ryu appears out of nowhere and laughs while slapping Tobio on the back. He successfully caught himself before slipping from the heavy weight, still not used to it. "Finally turning seventeen, eh? It's about time! Your birthday takes way too long, Kageyama-kun!"
Tobio never really thought about it that way. He doesn't mind waiting. "I guess so..."
"Alright, alright!" Chikara claps in attention close to the gym doors. "Let's reserve the festivities later, 'kay? Finish your own drills and matches, everyone!"
A chorus of 'Ous!'s echoes around the room and Tobio immediately forgets about his birthday. He heads towards the nearby basket.
The following weekend, he tags along the itinerary Miwa planned for the four of them, wrapping their mother's bag around his own arm as she get a hold on his other. "Tobio, is school going well? I heard your finals are coming up."
Tobio flinches before he can stop it. His mother's expression softens ever-so slightly, patting his cheek. He leans his head even closer to it. "I'm trying to pass. And the Spring Tournament is near." It's been two years since she had accepted his want for a volleyball career instead of pursuing a bachelor's. It's also been a year since Tobio had seen his mother in front of him. He notices the whites of her hair are crawling up its ends higher than what he remembers. She feels real now.
His mother echoes 'trying' before laughing warmly. "Good thing you are trying, then. Did you place in the tournament?" He never updates his mother on the phone or in letters and returned postcards. His mother forbade it, always wanting to hear and see it from Tobio himself.
"We did. My team's strong." He slightly frowns at the loss of her gentle hand on his face, but she goes to cup his gloved hand, now sandwiching his arm as well.
"Still sad that you didn't pass in Shiratorizawa?" Her voice turns on the edge of caution. Tobio doesn't understand why she still finds the need to.
Tobio shakes his head. He won against Shiratorizawa. And he'll do it again. With his team. "I like Karasuno."
His mother sighs, relieved, guiding him to turn the same way his sister and father did as their sense of direction. "Good." She smiles fully. "Good! I'm glad, Tobio. Are you excited for the tournament, hm?"
"Excited?" Tobio blinks. He thinks about it, his mother watching him in amusement. Yet another expression that everyone keeps doing while looking at him as of recently. He looks back at her with a nod. "Other teams have new players as well. We'll have to adapt to them again."
"And you're already strategizing about it, too." She chuckles, then kisses his cheek. There's that warmth again. "What a smart boy I have as a son."
"Kaa-san..." Tobio looks around, starting to get embarrassed. Thankfully no vehicles or other pedestrians were coming their way.
"Hm?" She follows his line of sight before covering her mouth with the back of her hand, laughing. "Why are you getting all shy for? I haven't seen you in a while! Can a mother not kiss her son she hasn't seen in a while, now?" She teasingly scolds.
Tobio grimaces. "That's not what I meant."
"Why is Tobio red in the face?" Miwa interrupts them, a thick beanie hiding her curls. "You're teasing him to bits again, aren't you?" She snorts, gazing at their mother. "Come on, me and oyagi found the restaurant." She doesn't wait for them and just hurries inside the small restaurant door on their right. It looks to be an udon and ramen place with barbecue, from the posters it has outside.
"That child, when is she going to stop pertaining to her tou-san that way..." Their mother exasperatedly sighs. She gazes up at Tobio, with him being a head taller than her, smiling and patting his arm. "Come, Tobio. Let's not make them wait for long."
Tobio wordlessly follows his mother and when they step inside with their greetings, he feels himself sighs in relief at the warmth he didn't know he needed. It's a cozy place, with a traditional set-up. Staff seemed to give the food themselves towards numbered tables, and only two of them are currently occupied. Miwa and their father were already sitting with menus on the table behind the side of the counter, blocked off by a wall. Behind them, there's serving water and glass cups.
"Already ordering without us?" Their mother coos, before letting go of Tobio to sit beside her husband. "What are you planning to order, dear?"
"Ah, it's been almost a month without Japanese food even on the plane." The man seemed to already be full just from trying to choose what he'll eat. "I think I'll have tsukimi."
Miwa hums beside Tobio. "Their kitsune udon looks good." She turns to him. "Curry udon for you then, Tobio?"
"Ah, no." He places his menu down the table. "I'll have hakata ramen."
"Hakata?!"
Tobio startles at the chorus of his family. He looks around and notices that the other few customers glanced their way but didn't show any other reaction. "What? Why?" Did he say something weird?
Miwa snaps her mouth shut. "Nothing."
"Not curry this time?" Their father whispers to himself in wonder.
"You don't want udon, dear?" His mother blinks across him. "Maybe they have a curry-flavored ramen here-"
Tobio makes a sound in confusion. "It's not that I don't want udon or curry, I just want to try the hakata. A teammate said it's good."
"Oh..."
Now, they're just acting unusual. Tobio frowns. "I don't order curry all the time."
Miwa snorts. "Yes, you do."
"Who's the teammate that recommended it to you? That Hinata-kun of yours?"
"No. Tsukishima."
"Tsukishima?" Miwa echoes. "Huh."
"You know him, Miwa?" Their father questions.
"Isn't that the teammate that you keep mumbling about being always an asshole?" She raises a brow at Tobio.
"What?" Their mother frowns.
"What?" Tobio frowns. "Well- he is, but." He looks down, then looks away. "Only sometimes now."
"Only sometimes?" Their mother's face is slowly turning horrified. "Tobio, are you getting bullied by this Tsukishima?" She sternly asks, expecting a direct question.
"What? No!" Tobio gapes. He shakes his head. "He wouldn't. He just likes-" Likes what? Embarrassing you? Calling you your middle school nickname? Complaining about you all the time? Tobio winces at the thoughts. It won't help his case at all if he verbalizes them out. He looks back at his family. "I actually like him. He'll never bully me."
They're past that. They don't say it out loud but they're past those older days. Tobio's not lying when Tsukishima rarely acts like an asshole to him these days, as odd as it is. He still calls Tobio nicknames, but there's no genuine spite, no venom in his complaints. It's just- teasing. Banter. Maybe.
That's something they haven't established between each other yet. Verbally or otherwise. Kageyama still has to figure that one out.
Miwa whistles. "Like?"
"Miwa." Their mother glares at the young woman. Miwa only looks away with puckered lips. "Sweetie, what do you mean by 'like'?"
"It means what it means." Tobio says the same time as his father. When he looks at the older man in surprise, he only sees him grinning. Tobio faces his mother whose brows wrinkled even more at her husband's antics, slapping him on the shoulder. "Are there any other likes?"
"Well, Tobio, when a person likes another person-"
"Miwa!" Their mother clicks her tongue. "Tobio, you can like someone either romantically or platonically. Sometimes it's even a combination." She remains patient with him.
"Why are you telling him that. He's already seventeen." Miwa says with her hands raised for a waiter to take their order, a teasing look on her face. "The day after tomorrow." She helpfully adds.
"They can never be too old." Their father sighs.
"What are you talking about." Tobio deadpans, on the brink of exploding from his confusion as he glances between the three of them.
"Do you like this Tsukishima as a friend?" His mother finally says.
"We're not... friends." Tobio grimaces around the word. His mother notices and is about to quip in but he interrupts. "But I like him."
"...Okay." His mother blinks. He watches her breath in. "Okay." He watches her breathe out. "Okay! I-I-" She catches herself stuttering, before clearing her throat, ignoring her husband and daughter's matching chuckles. "And how do you feel about that, Tobio?"
"This feels like therapy all over again."
"Miwa, you are ruining the moment."
"What even is "the moment" right now, dear?"
"The "Your son's confessing about his affections towards another guy" moment, you idiot!"
"I don't mind it." Tobio says amidst the ruckus he hadn't been in for thirteen months. "He's annoying sometimes but..." He frowns, looking down at his chopsticks. "He does confusing things and it almost seems like he cares but he doesn't say it." He huffs. "It's complicated." He ultimately shakes his head again. Verbalizing his feelings about the middle blocker is harder than he thought. It's perhaps messier than his thoughts, even.
"Are you finally gonna have a facebook account and have that as your status?"
"Miwa, stop it!" A groan. "When is our food going to arrive..."
"Kaa-san, it's been five minutes." A laugh.
"Do you have a photo of Tsukishima, Tobio? 'To-san's curious."
"Kaito!"
"What?" The man laughs. "I'm genuinely curious."
"He's just trying to see if Kei-kun's a handsome guy." Miwa snorts.
"Kei's his name?" Their father seemed thoughtful. "That'll complicate things when marriage comes around. ...Well. I made it work."
"Marriage?" Tobio stills.
"Marriage?!" Their mother is close to screeching. "He's just turning seventeen, you stupid, stupid man!"
Their father looks at his wife with eyes along crinkled edges. "Tenka, we got married when we were twenty."
"That was back then! Stop encouraging him!"
"A year and a half and you're still calling him Tsukishima?" Miwa pats his head, saying thank you to the server who put her udon in front of her. It's the first one to arrive on their table. "You're still not close, huh?"
"It feels weird without his permission." Tobio inhales the aromatic smell of the kitsune udon. He can't wait for his ramen. A ramen that Tsukishima offhandedly said was one of those he likes when their conversation after practice was about this ongoing family trip. "I can't just call him that all of a sudden." He can't even say it cities away from the blonde. It feels inappropriate. Not allowed to be said by him yet. Yet.
Tobio will hold onto that word until he finally gains the right to say otherwise.
"How sweet." Miwa coos. "You really like him, huh?"
Tobio doesn't notice his own expression softening. But with the only people who had known him from the start, they do. And they watch it happen in shameless awe. "Yeah. I do. For some reason." He huffs.
The goodbyes leave him aching more than the last when their parents turn away to board their plane back to Singapore. His mother promised they'll try to go to Nationals with a tight hug, like she doesn't want to let go. Tobio will never blame them if they grow busy again. He understands. And there is no other feeling more than wanting to be with them again sooner. No anger and no resentment.
So he accepts Miwa's hug as they walk away, back to her car. He lets his older sister ruffle his hair and kiss him on the temple, a rare thing, something she only does when their parents are freshly gone or she catches Tobio kneeling in front of Kazuyo's altar in their house, before she too leaves for her work in Sendai the following morning. Then, Tobio's alone in their house once more.
One blink and the feeling of holding tightly to their father as they go down the snowy slope of the skiing resort they went to, his father's laugh when their sleigh almost topples them over towards another group of customers taking pictures, all of it is now not the present but a moment from yesterday. He was never one to take pictures, Miwa was. He knows she collected a lot of them on their two-day trip. He emails her to send them to him.
He had already changed into a thick sweater and matching sweatpants, their house's heater not strong enough to fight off the crippling cold of the already-there winter. Tobio opens his other inboxes and sees multiple from Shoyo, three from Tadashi, one from Hitoka, some from their senpai's and juniors, and none from Tsukishima.
Tobio tries not to wallow up in disappointment. He said it himself, to his family, at that. They're not friends, not really. It's complicated. It's confusing. He's still left to understand everything.
One day, he's going to finally understand. And that's enough, for now.
Tobio looks up at his new clock on the wall. 11:27 PM. 11. 27. 11 and 27. Numbers that had no significance in the past now makes Tobio hide his face on the couch pillow under him. He huffs a difficult breath. He'll sleep it off. Maybe that'll help.
The ringing on his phone makes him groan. He picks it up from the coffee table, answering without looking at the recipient. "Yes?" He hears how rough his voice sounds.
"Are you sick?!"
Tobio pushes the device away from his poor ears, blinking up at the Hinata Shoyo on its screen. He groans again. He pulls it close, a bit far now. "What do you want, dumbass. I literally just came back."
"Not even thankful for having such a great friend that's trying to check how you're doing after your trip! Hah?! You turn seventeen and this is how you're already acting!!"
Tobio ends the call. He slumps down the pillow again, letting his phone drop to the carpeted floor now. Moments after, it rings. He groans louder. "What, you dumbass?"
"Hello to you too, wow." Tobio drops his phone. He stares down at it in horror. He suddenly feels more awake than he had been. "Hello? King?"
Damn that moron...
Tobio slowly picks up his phone, weary hands shaking and unrelaxed from how he laid on the sofa. "...What. Why did you suddenly call."
"A complete dismissal after such a greeting." Tsukishima sighs on the other line. Tobio shivers at the sound. He needs to turn up the heater, he knew it. "You're so harsh, Your Majesty."
Tobio sighs, slightly impatient. He likes Tsukishima but he hasn't slept in 18 hours and it's getting to him, no matter how much he wants to stay on the phone. He kind of, really, badly, wants to, now that he thinks about it more. But he's about to pass out. And passing out while on a call with Tsukishima is a much more terrifying thought than pleasant. "I'm tired. Tell me what you need already." Maybe, he can close his eyes. Tobio closes his eyes.
"Hinata was the one who told me to check up on you." Tsukishima snorts. Tobio relishes in the sound he hasn't heard for two days. "Something about you sounding like you're ill. That'd be a surprise."
Tobio might have hummed. "M'not." His attention's getting foggy by the second. "Nh... I'm going to fall asleep if you keep talking."
"Better end the call, then."
"Right." Tobio murmurs.
The last thing he hears is a static chuckle near his ears.
When he tightly holds onto one of the doors in the gymnasium, it making a loud sound from the sudden push, Tobio once again mentally thanks his still-existing body clock to have woken him up at 5:30 AM without an alarm. He thought he had set it up before sleeping, but he guesses he didn't.
He doesn't notice the gawking he's receiving nor his loud panting. He just knows he barely arrived on time for morning practice. He won. He might not have gone through his usual morning jog before going to school, but his run might as well have been that. Tobio thinks it definitely counts.
"Tobio-kun!"
He doesn't even register he has fallen down before he is faced with upside-down faces staring at him with different kinds of expressions. He frowns, finally recovering from his lack of breath. "W... What..."
"Did you wake up late?" Shoyo's jaw drops. "That's it! You're definitely sick! On your birthday, too!"
"Am not!" Tobio scowls. He sits up, the others moving away for him. He combs through his already sweaty hair he just washed thirty minutes ago in five minutes. "You... you literally called me at 11 PM! I told you I just arrived from the airport, you dumbass!" He smacks Shoyo on the neck. He still sounds breathy.
"Grh!"
"So you did wake up late?" Yuu laughs. "This is a new revelation! You can actually be late on your own!"
It's an indirect jab when him and Shoyo arrived a long while later after he just confessed he liked Tsukishima. Tobio tries not to splutter around the memory in front of everyone. "Just this once." He grunts. He goes to the bench, laying down his bag on it. "What's the big deal?" Everyone's still eyeing him like a hawk.
He sees Tadashi snickering in his peripheral. "Alright, everyone! On me!"
Tobio goes still from wiping excess sweat from his forehead as everyone starts singing the happy birthday song to him. Shoyo's holding a dark blue-frosted cake with a small crown on its top right, decorated with golden frosting that looked like curtains around the edges. There's also pearls in various sizes scattered around the base. Then, finally, that warmth again. It's become familiar now. Long after his first birthday surprise with their former senpai's.
"Happy birthday, Kageyama-san!"
"Happy birthday, Kageyama-senpai!"
"Come on! Blow it!"
Tobio's lips quiver, gazing nervously at the phones pointed at him before looking back at the candle displaying the numbers 1 and 7. He closes his eyes.
I want this team to continue even further.
He means it more than the last. Than the last. Than the other countless ones. More and more, year by year. It's a cycle he willingly wants to partake in, one he doesn't want to end.
Tobio's eyes finally flutter open, and he blows the flames of his candles out.
His.
"Wow, did you wish for the universe or what, Yamayama. That took so long!"
Tobio gets a hold of the ginger's hair and the cake's board, the latter more careful than the former but both being pushed close to one another. "Repeat that again?" He pleasantly smiles with his eyes in crescents, veins popping from his forehead.
"I'm sorry! Don't smash the cake! Don't smash the cake!"
Everyone laughs as Tobio lets go of Shoyo with a roll of his eyes, holding the cake himself. He eyes the fondant crown, taking a closer look. Then, a familiar substance dripping from his face.
"Oops?"
"H-Hinata-senpai, you're so dead..."
"Might want to run away now, while you're at it."
But, instead of complying with everyone's expectations, Tobio just wipes it off with a thumb, not hesitating to lick it. He blinks with a pleasant hum. "It's bubblegum flavored." He looks down at it in wonder. "Who chose it?" He looks up with the question.
"Tsukki did!" Tadashi quips.
"What?" Tsukishima snaps his head from where he had been picking up his glasses towards Tadashi.
"What?" Tobio's eyes slightly widen. He gazes at the blonde who was occupied with grabbing the running away Tadashi on the collar.
"Yep. He did!" Shoyo had stood up from where he had been unceremoniously thrown on the familiar floors of the gym, leaning his weight on Tobio's arm still holding the cake. "Hehe! Guess he knows his sweets real well, huh, Yamayama?"
There's twinkling in the ginger's eyes that is borderline up for trouble rather than up for winning a set. Tobio doesn't like it. His eyes narrow. "What the fuck?"
Shoyo sticking his tongue on the side and their other teammates' whistling and cackles doesn't help. Tobio's face twist in confusion, feeling like he's missing something. Then he's reminded of what he had just been told and takes a curious glace at Tsukishima. He seems to be finally done with strangling Tadashi, the latter even grinning behind him. Tobio looks at them up and down and notices Tsukishima was closer than he had been moments before.
Before he could speak, Tsukishima looked down with a sigh, as if already exhausted. There's his familiar glasses laying on the bridge of his nose. He steadies it with an already taped finger, Tobio notices. He doesn't hear the next words until the world slams it back to him.
"Happy birthday, King." It comes with Tsukishima awkwardly looking away mid-way, then looking at him again, letting it stay for the few deafening beats of Tobio's heart, before ultimately pulling away.
Tobio already misses it.
He already knows he's probably red as a tomato now. His mouth makes an upside-down smile as he swallows, taking another glance, and when he feels it's enough, it's enough, he looks down at his cake. "...Thanks." His. He hopes this moment is his.
His present. His own present. In his December. His birthday. Maybe it can all be his.
"Hooookay, come on, Yamayama, let's get you stretching for practice-" Shoyo pulls him down with a whisper while dragging him away. "You should try to calm down. You're red as a beetle..!!"
The last comment makes Tobio frown, immediately sobering up as he lets Hitoka get a hold of his cake to put it back inside its box, even with the finger-shaped smudge on its side. He starts stretching his arms again. "Isn't it supposed to be a ladybug, you dumbass?"
"Ah. Really?" Shoyo chortles. "Tomato-potatoes!"
"Now you're just pissing me off." Tobio glowers down at him from where he's stretching his legs.
Shoyo sticks his tongue out. "Be thankful you have birthday privileges or else I would have said something nasty by now!"
"To hell with birthday privileges." Tobio mutters.
The day goes on just like Tobio had thought, except more than last year, his teammates, especially the first years, keep asking him for advice like awaiting chicks in front of their father rooster. Something about spending his birthday to the utmost limits and forgetting about how intimidating he looks, Ryu says.
Does he really look like he's always scowling all the time? Tobio frowns at the familiar thought. Shoyo had been the first one to say how scary he looked face to face, and their senpai's never filtered their thoughts when it comes to him. Shoyo, he doesn't know the bastard is always up to somethingㅡbut Tobio knows their senpai's mean well when it comes down to it.
He still feels conscious about it, however. Especially when he doesn't mind his juniors talking to him about volleyball. And, along the way, as Tobio corrects Teramoto's spiking form, he realizes it makes him feel useful. It feels good for his words to be heard. Karasuno's been showing him that.
Tobio feels that warm feeling again from analyzing it all.
Late afternoon comes around and just like what Shoyo had said, Chikara called for an early end in practice. Inside a restaurant that they have visited two times in the past after matches, it's a familiar sight of figures clothed in Karasuno sweatshirts and packed shorts, orders of food being thrown around and making the captain exasperated and asking for one-by-one's, taking the waiter's job.
Shoyo had dragged Tobio beside him as always, now in the middle seat from everybody. Tobio doesn't comment on it.
"Ah! Sorry, we're late, everyone!" The sliding door opens and reveals a freshly showered Tadashi with Tsukishima trailing behind him. Tobio looks away, feeling awkward when Tsukishima notices his attention.
He thought the two best friends would sit at the end of the same row as him, but Shoyo waves frantically, as if he himself hasn't seen the two for decades, and makes Tobio scoot over. "Move, Yamayama!"
"The hell-"
At the brush of a shoulder carrying a familiar red bag, Tobio flinches and he snaps his head towards his left. He's greeted by an offhanded glance by Tsukishima, grabbing for that same bag to put it behind them. Tobio's mouth gapes, watching Tsukishima fiddle with his touch screen to skip towards another song, his headphones on and around his rimmed glasses.
As Tobio looks away, he fights both the urge to blush like a maiden and smack the living shit out of Shoyo, knowing he was the one behind all this. Though, moments after where they have finally been served their orders, Tobio wonders how Shoyo could have convinced Tsukishima to comply to the change of seating arrangements. Maybe Tadashi had a hand with it. They're always scheming these days, those two. Tobio's starting to suspect that Shoyo might have told Tadashi about his feelings.
Immediately, Tobio shakes his head at the thought. No way. Shoyo wouldn't do that to him. He might be stubborn but he knows when Tobio could really be pissed off or the right triggers for it. Wondering where Tobio even started to trust that Shoyo could know him that well, he's interrupted by the guy himself grabbing on his arm.
"Yamayama, how was your trip? You haven't told us about it yet!"
Tobio raises a brow at the sudden topic, but he just silently opens his phone and shows both Shoyo and the other onlookers the photos Miwa had sent him earlier in the afternoon.
"Wow. Kageyama-senpai looks so much like his mother..."
"What the hell, your sister is a whole hottie!"
"Tobio-kun... wearing a beanie with long bunny ears..."
With every question, Tobio squirms in his seat, his raised hand holding his phone slowly going down. Perhaps he might have been moving too much, because when he was about to finally pull his phone away from Shoyo's screaming, a hold on his hip makes Tobio freeze, his arms floating around the air.
Then, a murmur. "Stop squirming."
Tobio resists the urge to shiver, and to turn his neck to see what Tsukishima looked like. As if like it wasn't there in the first place, the hand on his clothed skin moves away.
Tobio had never sat so still in his life until that night.
The coldness of mid-late evening sobers Tobio up a bit, though he didn't have any alcoholic drinks, no matter how many times his senpai's (Ryu and Yuu) wanted for him to just take a little sip of root beer. When he breathes out, there's smoke in front of his lips, and he can feel the reddening on his nose worsening. He pulls his scarf tighter on his face, acting as a mask.
He hears the sliding door of the restaurant open beside him, and sees Shoyo with different bags hanging off of his hands and whole arm. Tobio's brows furrow. "I told you I'll be grabbing those myself later."
But Shoyo just shrugs him off. "Yeah, yeah!" He stretches, looking even smaller with all the gifts and his big puffer jacket, the hood heavy on his orange locks. He smiles brightly at Tobio. "Let's go!"
Tobio feels slight hesitation. He glances at the restaurant's doors, murmurs of conversation and laugher heard even from outside. They had already said their goodbye's, and they still have morning practice tomorrow.
The restaurant, Tobio easily realizes, is close to his house, only a few more blocks and then they're there. Tobio had never stayed outside this long on a school day, but it seems Shoyo is used to such a predicament, with how boisterous he still is while questioning Tobio about the Fujiyama trip.
He is then brought back by Shoyo's howl of a laugh. "I can't believe Kaito-san brought up marriage!" He wipes tears from his eyes, one hand long free from how Tobio basically snatched away some of the gifts for himself to hold. The spiker's grin turns sly. "So? What'cha think about it?"
Tobio splutters, skin fuming. "To hell thinking about it!"
Shoyo cackles. "Look how red you are! I didn't even mention any names!"
Tobio huffs with an eye-roll, trying to calm his beating heart, them turning to a long-familiar electricity post he'd seen for over a decade. "As if there is anyone else..."
With his easy admission, Shoyo's eyes widen, letting out a choke-off sound. Tobio doesn't know why he still gets so startled. It's been two months. "Wow, you... I can't believe there'd be a day you're talking so positively about Stingyshima, of all people..."
The heat crawls back up. "Shut up." He looks down, opening the gate of his house and leaving it open for Shoyo to step inside as well. "Is he really that bad..."
Shoyo snaps his head towards him with a scandalized gasp, kicking the gate closed with the jerking motion of his whole body at the visceral reaction. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?! You, the same guy who almost punched his ass off at first meeting..."
Tobio rolls his eyes again as they walk inside the front doors at Shoyo's groaning behind him as if he was about to faint. "That was a long time ago."
"Give a guy some slack!" Shoyo whines, removing his shoes and bee-lining towards the couch. He shamelessly lets himself fall down on his back. Tobio snorts at the sight. Bastard didn't even excuse his intrusion. "Out of everyone in our team, it really had to be Tsukki himself!"
Tobio winces at the nickname. "Don't call him that. He'll kill you." He starts moving the couch, with Shoyo still haphazardly laying down on it. "And would you move out of the damn way? You haven't even showered, you dumbass."
Shoyo looks at him with helpless eyes, as if he can't believe the version of Kageyama Tobio he's seeing for himself. "Are you even hearing yourself? You're actually starting to defend him now. How worse will you be if you guys actually get married... may the Gods bless me..."
Tobio stops pushing the couch and smacks a couch pillow on Shoyo's face. "Shut up! We are not getting married!"
"Yeah, right!" A scoff is heard beneath the pillow before Shoyo finally jumps away from the couch, kneeling down to push it with Tobio. "If ten years from now, I'm attending your wedding as the Best Man, I'll be laughing at your face!"
Tobio scowls in spite. "Who says I'm making you my Best Man! And again, me and Tsukishima are not getting married, you bastard!"
Shoyo ignores him with a snicker. "Who else, then? Yamaguchi-kun? He'll be Tsukishima's, obviously!"
This whole hypothetical wedding is starting to get on Tobio's nerves. It's taking him everything not to continue imagining himself in a white suit and Tsukishima in black.
...Maybe, they'll have their colors as the main palette for decorations. Yellows and navy streaks quickly fill Tobio's mind, the cushion colored in them with fine silk, streamers and ribbons in their wedding hall sprinkled with bouquets with different flowers and plants. A wedding councilor guiding them through their I do's, their families and friends, their teammates and juniors all watching them with smiles and tear-struck faces. Tsukishima holding his cheek, stepping closer...
Tobio feels himself almost go into cardiac arrest. He hears something rip as the echoing in his ear furthers.
"Holy shit, Yamayama, you just destroyed Kaito-san's beloved couch while you were daydreaming."
Tobio flinches from Shoyo's voice and true enough, when he looks down and notices his tight grip on the couch's rest, there's loose fabric there, pure cotton peeking from the hole. "Fuck."
Shoyo whistles. "Wise words. Now, would you like to tell me what you just imagined while your face was blowing up more than Mt. Fuji or what?"
Tobio slaps a hand on his face, gripping tightly. "Shut up."
"Grh- let- go-! Kageyama...!"
After a bit of tossing and turning, Tobio throws his head back on the couch, legs crossed and sitting on one of the two futons he had grabbed from the storage room, watching some ridiculous movie Shoyo had picked out for them to sleep to, with Shoyo munching on a bag of chips and hugging a pillow with his other hand.
Such arrangements had been a normal thing ever since Tobio first went to Shoyo's house after the entrance ceremony, with how it was 'unfair' he still hasn't been in Tobio's house before. Tobio never verbally declared his permission, but perhaps things are always just like that when it comes to Shoyo. He barges in Tobio's life, declares himself as the setter's life, then makes Tobio put up with them being teammates. He demands, and with his own, Tobio complies.
They know each other's wants, and Tobio sometimes wonders how they could easily do it. But when he thinks about it, there's not much to think about. Maybe it's from how similar they truly are. That same drive to win, to improve, and to start all over again.
It's like finding someone who already knows how you function before really knowing who you are, outside formalities and first impressions. Their first meeting was a mess, perhaps even laughable, but firsts are the start of something that could be fundamental in their lives.
And right now, Shoyo doesn't really look like he wants to be somewhere else so. That's that.
So when Shoyo leans his head on his shoulder, Tobio doesn't push him away. When Shoyo asks, "Did you have fun today?" with a sleepy smile on his face, Tobio doesn't lie.
He says, "I did."
It's short. His quips have always been short but straightforward. Just like his direct demands in games. Shoyo doesn't question it. Never seemed to. He only chuckles and accepts the response, closing his eyes. The bag of chips were already unfinished and tucked inside a trash can in the kitchen. A second movie is rolling in the TV but it's minutes before midnight and they both wake up at five.
"I'm glad, Kageyama. I'm glad."
The new year greets them with temple prayers, hot chocolate and coffee, and ultimately countless of practices. It's different from last year, however, with Tobio trying to keep his nerves in check and trying to remember the size and feeling of the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. He doesn't want to miss sets again, though it was understandable that he did, in the past. But he'd rather avoid it.
There is also no Sugawara-senpai to teach him new setting techniques, but Tobio sees himself doing the teaching for their junior who is also a setter. They're planning to put him in for a change of pace sometime when they're finally in a real match, but for now, he is teaching. Even after a couple of months, he's still not used to having someone younger than him on the team, even if he, too, was a senpai back in middle school.
"K-Kageyama-senpai, is this correct?"
Tobio hums as he looks over Ito's form for a third tempo set. Seeing the slight bend on the junior setter's elbow, Tobio gets a hold of Ito's arm, raising his eyes from the flinch he feels as he corrects the form. "Don't forget that how you angle your arm is also important. Either the ball might slip away from your own fingers or your spiker's."
He looks up to check if Ito was listening, and as if on cue, the younger nods fervently, albeit looking warm on the face and neck.
Tobio's brows furrow. "Are you okay? Feeling cold feet?"
Ito startles and shakes his head, erupting into a wavy but big smile. "Nothing, senpai! I'm okay!"
Tobio assesses him more for a few beats. He notices the junior starting to get nervous. Tobio grunts. "If you're sure. Would you like to test it out?"
Ito blinks. "Test it out? W-with you, senpai?"
Tobio tilts his head. "Who else? Everyone else is doing their own training." He casts a look around the gym and the others are also in pairs just like him and Ito, with the juniors being paired by the seniors so they can get to know how each other works better.
Ito sets a hand on the side of his face to scratch on it a little. "Ah, but I'm not that confident about it, yet..."
Tobio softly scoffs, not knowing his mouth is quirked upwards. "Don't worry. We're just trying it out." He looks down at his feet, making one go up to stretch it behind him. "I also need to catch up on spiking myself. You're not the only one benefitting from this, if that's what you're worried about."
Ito still looks hesitant, but there's that gleam of determination in his eyes, trying something he hasn't before. "Excuse my inexperience, senpai..."
Tobio hums again, in the back of his mind, but he gets ready for a jump, and lets Ito set for him without assistance, this time. Mid-way, Tobio slows for the tempo, and just as he was falling down, the ball collides with his palm and he sends it over the net, almost grazing it. He steadies his footing with an easy breath and turns to Ito.
Following the ball from the opposite side, Ito has an amazed look in his face, in which he settles to his own shaking hands, then finally Tobio. "K-Kageyama-senpai, that was...!"
"Was that alright?" Tobio steps closer. "You did good for a first time."
Ito absolutely beams, grinning until his face looked like it was on the edge of ripping. "That was so cool, senpai!!! I-I know it was a bit low but... but you still hit it!"
Tobio softly hums. "I practiced a lot with Sugawara-san myself, before he graduated. Don't rush yourself."
Ito smiles. "I know! I admire him a lot, as well. But, ah... tempos other than the fast ones really are hard to get used to..."
Feeling like he needs it, Tobio lightly pats the junior on the shoulder, startling him. "That's why we practice. And I'm different from our spikers. They jump and hit differently than I do."
Not taking it as a threat, surprisingly, Ito just nods and beams even more. "I'm thankful to be working with you, Kageyama-senpai! Please teach me more of your knowledge!"
Tobio's eyes slightly widen at the sudden declaration, blinking a couple of times. Before he feels his lips curve once more. "Of course. Now, would you like to try again? We'll use a water bottle, this time."
Hours turn into days, and suddenly, the gymnasium ceiling is once again higher, more than a few, and in glimpses, lights are the ones staring back at Tobio. It's a rush of instinct, all honed from his experience, and those same hours of practice before that very moment.
Serve. Set. Block. Receive. Spike. The sound of the piercing whistle from all the other courts in this one gymnasium is all but a background noise. Visions of actions and numbers flow past Tobio's mind as he jumps, and lands, and tries to catch another chance ball.
There's his team beside him, behind him, cheer squad screaming his name. Always there, they are always there. Tobio can't explain when he'd started describing it as something comforting. Comfort. "Are you comfortable?" His Asahi-senpai's past words makes him remember to breathe in. Again, another quick with Shoyo. It's 12-15, their favor. The game feels like it just started, but it's been minutes.
The other team calls for a timeout. He is patted on the back and is told a good job by Kinoshita. He is given a new towel by Hitoka. Yoshida, his middle blocker junior, is standing beside him, re-adjusting his headband that is pulling his bangs back amidst his sweat. Tobio nods at Takeda as the teacher beams at all of them with that familiar smile of his.
Maybe Tobio should be worried about how relaxed he is. Shoyo had already commented, more like teased, on it a couple of times already, saying it's now his turn to have a fever. It is their second match of the day and they can finally go back to their hotel. A small one, but it's an upgrade made by Teramoto's, their junior wing spiker, parents' donation.
Apart from it all, from him wondering about what they'll be having for dinner as a pass-by, Tobio thinks about the possible ways the enemy team will stop his sets again.
He thinks. And ends it with a small, unnoticed hum. It's seconds before the timeout is over. Tobio looks up to turn to Ukai. "Can we put Ito in when they stop Hinata two more times? I want to try something."
Said junior jumps from where he had been standing with the other reserves, catching his name out of nowhere when he had just been staring at the ground, zoning out. Now, he looks absolutely horrified. "S-S-SENPAI...?!?!"
Tobio just glances at him, before facing Ukai's own startled expression. "Can we?"
Ukai's mouth opens and closes for a moment, looking at Takeda who just smiled reassuringly though he doesn't fully know what Tobio's words indicated, then to the third years who just shrugged, along with Yuu's, "Could make a miracle!" little chirp. Ukai turns to Ito who was slowly melting from the attention. "Ito-kun, are you willing to play a couple sets?"
Ito looks like he's going to throw up. Tobio fully faces his junior. "I'm the one hitting your sets. Have faith in me."
"Wow, what a way to remove us spikers from your royal view..."
Tobio ignores Shoyo's blabber beside him and continues to wait for Ito. "Well?"
"Tobio-kun, I think-"
A shaky exhale. "Okay." Ito has his eyes tightly shut, holding his matching clenched fists. There's still doubt in his eyes as he looks as his blurry expression on the shiny gym floors. But when he finally returns Tobio's gaze, there's that determination. Tobio nods.
"Good. Watch carefully. We're doing a quick."
"Eh? Senpai, you-"
There is buzzing that signals the end of the timeout and Tobio sends a jittery Ito one last glance before he stands in his place in their new rotation. Just like what he had expected, the enemies successfully received and blocked off his and Shoyo's attacks, now used to it.
Tobio turns to see Shoyo staring up at him. Then, there's a finger pointed towards him. "Don't miss me too much, Yamayama." The spiker mocks.
Tobio rolls his eyes at the other's lameness. "As if."
Shoyo quickly switches with Ito from the sound of the whistle, and as the junior stands behind him, Tobio turns around. "Are you nervous?"
Ito grimaces. "A bit. Is it that obvious?"
Yes. Tobio doesn't mention it. His kouhai doesn't need that right now. When he pats Ito's back, he's pleased to find that the younger is used to it by now that he doesn't flinch from the contact. Tobio cocks his head. "Remember what I taught you."
Ito breathes out. "I will, Kageyama-senpai."
Finding that enough, Tobio finally nods and turns towards the other side of the net. He hears a middle blocker smile, "I wonder what you have planned now with your squeamish kouhai."
Tobio's eye glints, before he tilts his head. "You'll see."
Here, Tobio fully intends to be the one doing the spiking and Ito doing the setting, nothing else. He knows Ito is more comfortable and experienced with fast sets so he doesn't hesitate to push himself from the ground, even before Ito had put on a stance of someone setting as he switched spots with Ryunosuke.
They had done this in practice before, and it took a few more tries to work. Along with it, Tobio finds that he is near Shoyo's speed whenever they do their quick. That's when Tobio knew that Ito should get a chance to be put in at least more than once. He's a valuable asset.
Tobio doesn't mind anything else beside the now familiar feeling of Ito's set. It comes with nervousness, but edged with ambition, then finally, complete trust in Tobio himself. Ito trusts that Tobio will gain a point for them. Tobio almost shakes his head again. He'll remind Ito again the nature of being a setter having ownership to his own points.
For that split second, though, he will not disappoint Ito, and their teammates, and the enemy. Tobio doesn't find doubt within himself, since he doesn't doubt Ito, and so he sends the ball flying over the tight gap between the enemies' middle blockers and watches it fall right on the white line framing the opposite team's court. It's in.
Their affronted scoffs and glares falls unnoticed, when Tobio feels himself get enveloped by a bone-crashing hug, then immediately, two hands clapping his still-hanging ones paired with absolute joy painting Ito's face. "S-SENPAI, THAT WAS AMAZING...!!! I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS POSSIBLE!!!" A deep breath that sounds more like a gasp, then a gleeful laugh. "We actually did it! You were right!"
Tobio feels Ryunosuke punching both him and Ito and the arm, scolding them for not telling the team they could do that, but the only thing Tobio could focus on was the glow in Ito's eyes. He recalls his smile can be scary, said by his teammates, and infuriatingly by Shoyo, but that's the only thing Tobio thinks is what's plastered on his lips right now.
He watches Ito's grin form into a stunned expression. Tobio always seems to always want to hum because of this kouhai of is. He thinks of asking Sugawara, and maybe Oikawa too, later if this is what they had always felt. "I told you, you can do it." He never felt this way in middle school.
Ito's mouth quivers, and he looks like he's about to bawl right there in the middle of the gymnasium. "Y-you did... Kageyama-senpai...!!!!"
Seeing the junior attempting to hug Tobio again, Yuu pulls on the collar of his jersey. "Alright, alright! Stop with the gratitude and feels and do that again for us so we can win, 'kay?!"
They do it again in third tempo, and Tobio rewards Ito's expectant beam with a clap of their hands. When they switch things up, and makes Ryunosuke do his signature cross spike, it's unfortunately received by the enemy's libero and is sent back by their ace. And when Shoyo and Ito switch, after Ito gets a proud pat on the head by Ukai when he sits beside the coach, Ito catches Tobio's gaze and nods.
Assessing that he was fine, Tobio looks away and goes to his position. He feels a nudge on his side. "Didn't know you'd be so sweet to our kouhais, Yamayama! You're even letting yourself be hugged!" Shoyo coos with wiggling fingers as the opposite team positions themselves.
"Wouldn't you like to know." Tobio snorts. "You don't know the concept of personal space."
He hears a cough in front of them, and Tobio levels his gaze towards Tsukishima's numbered back, his hands intertwined on his neck. Shoyo notices as well. "What's so funny, Stingyshima?!"
A scoff. "Nothing." Then, Tsukishima turns his head back, eyeing both of them then finally Tobio. The setter tries not to squirm under that gaze. "I just never knew me and His Majesty would ever reach the same conclusion."
When he finally turns away, Tobio finally feels like he could breathe again. He hears Shoyo's grumbling about curses between Tsukishima's name along with the signal of the set. He shakes his head. "The match is starting."
Shoyo hmph's. "I'll get that asshole, later... And you, as well!"
"Yeah, sure." Tobio deadpans, and feels himself moving along with the ball after Tadashi jumped for a serve behind them.
Mornings after, they face familiar faces accompanied by unfamiliar ones, but Karasuno relentsㅡnothing new, there. Tobio once again watches Shoyo casually conversing with Atsumu between the net. He wonders what their conversation is even about, with Atsumu's lazy smile and Shoyo plastering a grin that looks to be confused around the edges.
Then, Osamu grabs Atsumu by the collar towards his proper position, the blonde complaining along the way. Tobio stands beside Shoyo in front of the net. "What was that about."
"Why, you jealous?" Shoyo's slyly smiles with his eyes in crescents as if waiting for it. "Don't worry, Yamayama, I'll be your spiker for hundreds of years!" He sing-songs.
Tobio throws him a deadpan glare. "No. Don't be weird about it." Hundreds of years? That's way too short.
Shoyo sticks his tongue out. "I can hear you thinking, you know!"
Tobio's scowls. "No, you don't. Look in front, the game's starting."
"So demanding..."
It should be unexpected, because it was. Tobio knows they deserve the opposite. They have used the months and weeks efficiently, and there were misses, but they could have brought it back. And yet-
Tobio feels nothing when Ryunosuke slaps the life out of him. He lets his senpai do what he wants. When he looks at the upperclassman's face, there are tears free-falling on its surface like an endless waterfall, but there's a firm expression accompanying it. "Don't forget what you've done today, Tobio."
It's the first time Ryunosuke had called him Tobio. It won't be the last time he'll see him cry, with that firm grip around his shoulders. It's just like his senpai to not blame Tobio on the missed sets he had done. Strangely enough, Tobio finds denial deep inside himself.
We could have reached further.
An echo of past words. His own words. Partnered with a sob of a different senpai. Of candles lit up. Of practices and practices and matches. Tobio doesn't feel any exhaustion, but he suddenly feels the weight of his senpai's leaving one by one.
When they bow with Inarizaki, Tobio feels himself breathe out. As he shakes hands with Atsumu, he has that smirk on his face. "I'll be waiting for you in First Division, you hear me, Tobio-kun?"
Tobio breathes in. He imagines being in the same team as Atsumu. He imagines playing against Atsumu. It's only been a month since they had last seen each other from the youth training camp, and he finds himself familiar with the sight of the blonde setter already. "I won't disappoint you, Atsumu-senpai."
Atsumu blinks at him for a moment, before throwing his head back with a delighted laugh. He grins, wickedly and on the edge of being mean. "Of course, you won't. I'm going to kick you out of the setter rankings, after all!"
Tobio is not aware that he, too, has that gleam in his eyes. The thrill is in his fingertips, the same ones he refines and uses for sets. "I'll hold you to that."
Just like that, he leaves Atsumu flabbergasted, off to being scolded by his twin beside him, and continues to shake hands with the other Inarizaki players. With one last check of his things, Tobio follows his teammates towards the exits of the gymnasium.
It had only been two days since they had stepped foot inside of it. Tobio looks up to those fluorescent lights once again. Echoes of different school cheers mix in that one hall of thousands of people. He maps out everything one last time, like he had missed something, like he hasn't assessed everything already.
As expected, there had been no three sets of people sharing the same last name as him on Karasuno's crowd, but Tobio is not disappointed. Next year, it might be possible. Next year.
They will try again. They will succeed, and with that success, Tobio is a member, someone part of it. He doesn't feel the weight of exhaustion, only his name, his number, and 'Karasuno' printed on his jersey and jacket. The weight has settled long enough, and Tobio will carry it even furtherㅡuntil the very end.
Tobio looks down at his roughened hands. "Next year."
He thinks he might file his nails again when they go back to their motel. Then, new additions to his journal.
At the sight of the third years with their diplomas, Tobio finds that it's something that he needs to get used to seeing now, along with the fact that next year, he'd be the one in their place. With a click of a camera, Tobio is shaken out of his epiphany and grows witness to the scene of their senpais exchanging bouquets that Hitoka and the other second years had bought for them.
Hitoka herself is sobbing, not minding that the arrangements she had done herself are getting ruined by the tossing. Tadashi is continuously given pieces of tissues by Tsukishima, wiping off his waterworks in determination. Shoyo is laughing with their kouhai's that are drowning in their own feelings beside Okane, their libero junior who's taking the third years' countless photos, courtesy of the ever-flashy Yuu and Ryuu duo.
Tobio wonders where their other senpais are and remembers they are busy with their own college lives no matter how much they would have liked to come. He feels himself growing older as the moments pass. It's a slow motion, nothing that can be called agitating or one that throws him on a wreck. It's just change.
Just change. Tobio hums at the thought.
A laugh from Chikara pulls his attention back to reality. "Ah, I'm going to miss all of you!" He turns to Tadashi with a teasing but soft smile. "Good luck, Tadashi-kun, okay?"
It's enough for Tadashi to erupt into more countless of tears, snot and all. Throughout it, Chikara continues to half-hug him with comforting chuckles and soft pats.
"Dramatic, isn't it?"
It took Tobio everything to not flinch when he sees Tsukishima standing behind him in his peripheral vision, making himself the other witness. Alas, another thing to get used to from now on, else he'd blow his cover. Another part of him wonders when Tsukishima started to willingly have a conversation with him, even if it's about poking fun at their teammates.
Tobio crosses his arm, watches Tadashi wipe his snot off with the countless balls of tissues he was holding. "It's normal for a kouhai to cry for a senpai that's graduating." Though my past juniors never did that for me in middle school.
He's shaken out of that thought when Tsukishima hums. He nods his head towards Tobio with a look before pulling it away as he says, "And yet here you are."
A raised brow. "Here I am... what?"
A snort. "You're not crying."
Tobio remembers keys being stolen. A three on three match. A fast receive with fluttering clothes. Comforting laughs. A rare pat on his head, then a casual one on his back. Closed fists with a yell of victory. Sounds of amazement and slurred congratulations. The smell of food, and walks to the convenience store. Yells of drills, of squeaking shoes and balls. Calls of water breaks, then the end, until a small casual speech for tomorrow.
"Don't forget what you've done today, Tobio."
"Just because I'm not crying doesn't mean I think of our senpai's any less." Tobio now stares back at Tsukishima's unwavering gaze. "They gave us a spot in National's again. We could have reached further with them, but we didn't. And whatever my reaction, it doesn't change any of that."
Tsukishima gapes, though it may be just his lips parting enough. But, he lets out a breath. A scoff, a huff, it may be both, but Tobio is not prepared for what's next, "You continue to surprise me, King."
Tobio feels himself blinking more than a couple of times. "I do?" He already feels stupid even before the words have left his lips. So much for not blowing the cover...
Tsukishima seems to find his current expression amusing. "You do."
Tobio was just trying to form a reply amidst the malfunction his brain was going through when he hears Kazuhito yelling out, "Guys! Let's take a photo with all of us!"
As if on cue, Tobio feels himself getting pulled away by a now-unoccupied Shoyo on the arm, making him squat on the first row. He glares up at the ginger.
"Hehe!" Shoyo just helpfully says while doing a peace-sign. "Look at the camera, Kageyama!"
Tobio's eyes narrow but complies. He sees Hisashi talking to a random student, holding Okane's camera. There's some confusion at first about who is where but after much fuss and an exasperated sigh from Chikara, the camera is one click away for them.
Shoyo's booming voice behind him makes Tobio sit upward. "Say, Karasuno, fight!"
What a corny dumbass. Tobio snorts.He settles with holding out his own peace sign, looking at the camera.
An exhale, and faint smoke trailing from his chapped lips, Kei opens the door of his lecture room. The wooden material directly points to the outside grassfield of his campus, immediately making him welcome the seeping cold of almost-autumn.
Looking down at his watch conveying quarter to noon, it leaves Kei sighing once more. Preliminaries after all these years continue to give a strain on his free time, and especially on the parts of his neck that is always bent at an awkward angle when he goes at it on studying at the campus library.
And it's not even about the lessons being hard—he's come to getting a hang of it a while ago with much encouragement from the strawberry tiramisu inside the fridge back home—or his want to do something else like practicing for Quarterfinals. It's just that Kei wants...
"Kei!"
With a stutter in his heart, Kei freezes as everything he had stomached in breakfast was starting to conjure into something very sickening, building on his throat. No- perhaps it's just the thrum in his skin, and when he slowly but surely turned around still with doubt on the back of his head, he let it all disappear tenfold by the time he saw an impossibly familiar figure painted with dark locks.
"What." Kei dumbly says out loud.
Across the pathway towards the building of the Architecture department, there goes one Kageyama Tobio still clad in his Schweiden Adlers jersey and jacket, sweat visible on his forehead which is laid bare by the wind knocking his already short bangs left and right.
Kei couldn't figure out where to look anywhere else. His gaze darts from the empty shoulder of the setter without a visible luggage that he'd normally bring to practice, to his shoelaces that were about to give up and make him trip and fall by the second. Maybe all of it were the wrong things to focus on, because the bright beam of that sapphire-like star takes Kei home like nothing else could.
Without thinking much of it, he slowly lets his arms loose, letting his shoulder bag noisily thump on the floor, and it's all that Tobio needed to make a run for it.
Clutching tightly, Kei breathes in the familiar smell of Tobio's branded shampoo, and the hint of his skin burned by the conditioning of a train car. It was all awfully, purely, pleasant, and as pleasant as the grumbling hum Tobio lays on his shoulder. "Hi."
The greeting, sounding so awkward and out-of-place and very Tobio, makes Kei chuckle. "...You trouble-magnet. When did you get here?"
"Just now." Tobio simply says. "I didn't sneak out."
"Right." Kei drags the word, teasing. Unwillingly, he lets go, but just so he could see Tobio's face again. Feeling all that coursed-through tiredness he was under just a few moments ago, he couldn't help but lean for a bit, just so he can lay a kiss on the setter's temple. "And how long did it take you, hm?"
Seeing the suspicion on his expression, Tobio huffs and steps away for a bit so he can cross his arms. "I really didn't sneak out...!" And... there's that pout. "Anyway. Are you hungry? It's your lunch, right? You only have 30 minutes, so... let's go."
Kei's not even surprised that His Highness knows his schedule like the back of his hand. The moment of his enrollment, Tobio asked for it out of curiosity, wanting to compare it with his. He's still verbally impressed by Kei's want to both juggle academics and volleyball, but also told him it was not really a surpise, all those years ago. Both were important to Kei, he said.
The memory leaves him with warmth, and that fog disappears now as he cocks his head in affirmation, getting a hold of Tobio's hand to clasp it with his, at the same time. "Are you staying?"
Tobio absentmindedly pulls on Kei's bag left clattered on the ground and wraps it around himself, thinking about it. "Well... until your last class, I guess."
Kei raises a brow at that. "It's not until six. Seriously, did you skip practice? You didn't even change."
"And I'm telling you I didn't!" Tobio frowns at him with a side-eye. "I didn't attend, actually. And-!" He interrupts before Kei's potty mouth could get some words out. "Before you tell me off, I didn't know we don't have it today, in the first place. I was already at the gym so that's why..." He lets off, gesturing to his uniform with a loose hand.
"And here I was about to get scandalised that the volleyball idiot actually skipped." Kei slyly smirks. "Turns out he's just really clingy."
"Oi." Tobio clicks his tongue. "Ungrateful asshole."
"Mm." Kei tilts his head, softly thumping it on top of Tobio's, as if they were cats. Tobio completes it with a huff of his own. "Where do you want to eat?"
"What are you craving?" Tobio questions back, instead.
Kei blinks at him because of this, before he snorts. "Are you worried I'm overworking myself again? I told you I'm managing. And I thought you're used to seeing me like this every September."
"Managing is coping. It's not rest. And yes, I am used to it, but..." Sighing, Tobio reaches out, caresses the edge of the growing bags under Kei's eyes, making his glasses perk up for a bit, before slowly pulling away. "That looks awful."
They pass through the gate of the campus, other students around them with their own footsteps towards lunch. They should really hurry up, him and Tobio. Kei feels like it's only been a minute longer with just them, however.
Kei couldn't help but make a mocking coo. "Is that your way of saying that I look ugly?"
"No." Tobio rolls his eyes. "Besides, you always look good, whatever you put on your face."
There's that bluntness of his words with no shame again. Long ago had Kei already passed the shame, but the creep of redness on his nape is still felt under his brown turtleneck. "Charming. I'm truly blessed to be under the King's grace."
Lips turning into a ridiculed scowl at the unecessary language he'd been a victim of for almost half a decade, Tobio sharply looks away while Kei takes his time to laugh at his lover's priceless expression.
There, they walk into a quiet cafe across the street Kei where is a regular at. They take their orders and talk about the mundane of hours before, and when Kei looks across the table, sees Tobio's white jacket hunched over his seat's rest behind him, fingertips cut to the finest precision continued to tap some random tempo over his ring-covered ones.
Under the afternoon sunlight on the sides of their silhouettes, there's no one else but Tobio to see Kei smile unabashedly, with his chin over his palm, and gaze steadily at the man who traveled far for one free day in his professional life, all that effort to just see him.
It'd be a shame not to bask under all that care. Well... not without his signature teasing, of course.
Across walks towards and from school, the leaves have grown brighter than the greenery they provided last summer. Tobio sometimes finds himself stopping at the neighborhood playground he always passes on his morning jogs and trip to home.
It's nice, he settles with that to describe it. For once, he doesn't really want to hurry up for practice. It's a colder day that day, and so Miwa all but urged him to wear a thicker jacket and his usual scarf. But even with it slightly covering his mouth, Tobio's exhales are still visible in the air, reminiscent of fog along the cold wind.
There's no one else but him there, with the time being only close to 6:30 in the morning. No kids are running around, and no parents are chasing their kid that's running around. Tobio finds himself snorting at the vision, one that reminds him of earlier years.
"Haa..." Tobio looks up at the bright yellow and orange tree in front of him. He wonders if his parents will once again visit for his birthday this year. They had emailed him photos of them in Bangkok a month after they had watched his match, but nothing else. He... he wants to see them. "Tou-san would want to see the trees..." He quietly says towards the open air.
Pulling up his phone from his pocket to take a photo for his father, Tobio leans to the left, but then he sees a figure he hadn't noticed moments ago. He can't help but- "Ah."
Genius setter, they said! Shoyo's voice booms through his mind. Tobio's brow twitches in annoyance.
"Hm."
Seriously? Tobio slowly stands straight, examining Tsukishima right in front of him. It's strange to see him in this part of the neighborhood. Tobio knows that this isn't the usual path the middle blocker usually takes so... why? "Why are you here?" He couldn't stop his lips from gaping.
He sees the edge of Tsukishima's lips twitch. Tobio had embarrassingly paid attention to him enough this past year to know it means he's amused, albeit just slightly. "Can I not be here?"
Tobio's brows narrow. "That's not what I mean."
They both only stare at each other for a moment, with Tsukishima not even replying at all. In the end, Tobio huffs and looks away, holding up his phone again. He opens its camera and snaps two photos of the tree. He then closes it, settling with sending the photos to his father later. He has time.
The quiet almost distracted him from the fact that he wasn't alone anymore, but Tsukishima's presence is hard to ignore. Tobio stiffly turns to him, body still facing the tree. "...Why are you just standing there." He's not waiting for me, is he?
Looking at Tsukishima up and down again, now with his arms cross and an expectant expression in his face, Tobio freezes. Shit. He totally was waiting for me.
Tobio glowers at the ground, his short bangs not even sweeping through his forehead anymore. But the movement makes his scarf flutter, and he pulls it even closer to the lower part of his face. It's not enough to hide the own flutter his heart made. He knows it isn't. "Let's go."
He doesn't wait for the blonde, only walking past him but with a slow pace. He has no watch but with how long the moment felt, they were going to be late if they don't hurry up. Tobio turns around. "Hey-"
He's startled to find Tsukishima closer to him in proximity than the distance they had earlier. But, now, Tobio doesn't need to look up that much anymore. Their heights had grown closer as well as the year passed, and yet Tobio doesn't know if that is a blessing or a curse in and of itself. Because seeing Tsukishima's up close makes him not know what to do with himself.
Tobio steps back with a flustered sound from deep within his chest, and is about to turn around so they can both pretend nothing just happened, but then there's a hold around his wrist and he has nowhere else to go except be there.
A caress on his pulse point, a familiar action, and Tobio can't help but let his breath hitch. He glances at Tsukishima, but all he sees is that amused expression again. "We're going to be late."
Helpless, all but helpless, Tobio lets himself get pulled away, towards the path of the school, without being let go of. That one finger stays close to his stuttering heart, and that one hand is still wrapped around close to his own.
What will become of us now? All Tobio sees from where he was is the back of Tsukishima's head. His hair grows longer slowly but surely day by day, and Tobio wonders when Tsukishima decided to just grow it out. What are you thinking? His new glasses stay seated on top of his pale ears, but here they're not covered by the usual headphones. Tobio doesn't know what to make of it. Is this how we work, this time?
All his questions are left unanswered even with the views of other yellow trees framing the streets. Alongside electrical poles, and turned-off lights to make way for the early morning, Tobio's body thrums with wonder that seemed to know when to come back, when to remind him of what he can feel outside of volleyball, outside of the court.
And yet, strangely enough, Tobio doesn't mind wondering at all. Maybe this could be forever, maybe he'll never be satisfied with not confessing, maybe he'll settle with just this gentle hold of Tsukishima's around him. Or maybe, he doesn't mind they won't be seeing each other again after graduation.
The thought pains a numbing sensation on his chest. But Tobio only feels his lips wobble, and he can't stop staring at Tsukishima even if he knows the middle blocker is probably annoyed at him already. There's still so much he wants to figure out, wants to do. Still, he could only stare, could only let Tsukishima let go of him when they're finally inside the gym, with some of their juniors already there.
What should I do?
Kageyama Tobio. Genius Setter and Vice-Captain of Karasuno High School. A yearly member of the All-Japan Youth Training Camp. King of The Court. What do they all mean?
Footsteps falter and squeaks of shoes fill the atmosphere of gym. But hearing his name being called, Shoyo simply whips his head around with a questioning smile. "Yeah?"
"Come here." Tobio simply says.
Squinting his eyes suspiciously, Shoyo looks at him up and down before complying, yet still with a twisted, confused look on his face. He does, however, blink in surprise, smile stilling on his expression, when Tobio reaches out a hand holding plain, black hairclips and starts sectioning Shoyo's bangs into two right there and then.
Shoyo hums. "Kageyama?" There's no mortification, but the more time passes with just Tobio silently clipping his bangs away, the ginger looks more and more flushed in the face.
"Stop moving." Tobio huffs. "You keep flicking it away after every jump. Honestly, why are you still keeping the mop hair? All it does is be a bother to how you play." With one final angle adjustment, Tobio eyes the hairclip around Shoyo's right curls and nods to himself, satisfied. "There."
As if trying to decipher both his words and expression, Shoyo stares at him with unblinking eyes. Then, he chuckles in volume, sort of like a 'heh!', and grins up at the setter as he touches one of the ornaments on his hair. "And get those fugly bangs like you? No thanks!"
Tobio gives him a nasty glare. "No, they're not."
Shoyo boisterously laughs. "Yes, they are, you dummy!"
flowers in spring, they bloom (just like my love for you)
"Hm."
Till startles when a hand takes a gentle hold of the side of his face, close to his bangs. He looks up from his sketchbook to see Ivan, with that crooked smile and stupid snaggletooth of his.
"What the hell do you want." Till deeply frowns at him, thumping the head of his mechanical pen on the surface of his drawing, already impatient.
Ivan merely raised a brow, and the slight perk of the sides of his lips is a telltale that he was clearly onto something idiotic once again. Till glares at him. Ivan stays unrelenting, continues to gaze down at him from where he sits on the window sill, the cherry blossoms on the side of the school carelessly falling and framing its white surface from outside.
It's a scene that Till is not looking back on, and he is not given any chance if he ever wanted to because Ivan guides his hands from Till's jaw, to caressing his cheek with a thumb, making its surface grow warm from the impact. Till purposefully rounds them with air on the inside and gets a hold of Ivan's arm, tightly.
"I said," Till glowered. "What the hell are you doing."
Ivan ignores him, does not acknowledge that Till did not in fact repeat his first statement like he should be, and pulls his arm up, plays with a couple of his locks, and puts them between his fingers. He takes his time to gather them all up behind his index's knuckle and with the normality of an affectionate persona, tucks them all behind Till's ear.
Till can feel the collision of skin on his ear's shell, and he resists a shiver, his hold around his mechanical pen tightening. It takes no genius to notice how red he'd gotten, even with his head tilted towards his sketchbook on his lap in which he also gripped on. He does not see Ivan's expression that way, but he feels the other's hand staying on the tips of his crimson ears, until they finally leave.
Till takes a deep breath with closed eyes, letting the rush of wanting to deck Ivan in the face flood through his veins, and he looks up with hands balled into a fists, scaldingly sharp daggers in his eyes locked and loaded, but the sight of a triumphant Ivan drowns it all as if his hearing was filled with water, the already silent muttering around the library now curiously deafening.
Till lets himself guide his hand towards his ear, and there he feels the surface of a solid object tucked with his hair. He follows its figure and it does not take long for him to figure out it was a flower, one that he knows all too well by now.
He sucks in a breath as he pulls his gaze back towards a waiting Ivan, with that stupid, idiot, ridiculous, giddy smile of his as he holds out a bouquet of big, bright anakt flowers with a white and grey wrapper with intricate spirals and dots of leaves and flowers on them.
"W..what..." Till internally swears at the stutter of his voice, but it falls second and behind his thumping heart when Ivan grins, with that glee in his eyes that seemed to brighten the black spiral of it, and all it reflects is the flustered, crazy look Till has. He covers his face, drops it onto his empty hand, but a laughing Ivan pulls it away with a soft grasp on his chin.
"You're so cute, Till." Ivan is reeling with happiness, the crescents his eyes make would have probably risen towards the roofs if it were ever possible. "I'd like to take you right here, right now if you weren't so busy." He tilted his head with an innocent cheer around his voice.
"W-W-What the fuck...!" Till seethes, letting go of his mechanical pencil to slam both of his palms on top of Ivan's mouth. "Don't fucking s-say that out loud, you prick!!" He whisper-yells, quickly looking left and right to see if no one had heard or was currently watching them.
"Boo..." Till feels Ivan's pout on his hand. Then, a kiss on his left, followed by a lick.
"Urk..!" With a disgusted twist on his face, Till pulls them away, but his right is quickly snatched by Ivan, and he puts it close to his jaw, shamelessly nuzzling it like a cat. "You're so fucking weird..."
Ivan hums, eyes closed. "You love me." He then opens them, bores his stare on Till's whole figure, and kisses his quickening pulse while keeping its twinkling state steady.
Till clicks his tongue, looking away with a glare. "I question why every day."
Ivan pouts. "No, you don't. It's our anniversary, you can't push me away."
Till flinches at the reminder, even if he had already known the moment he touched the flower that is still on his ear, and he ignores the feeling of his face erupting into flames once again. "Who the hell decided that."
"Me." Ivan dramatically bats his eyelashes, making doe eyes that disgusts Till even further he has the urge to kiss the other until he never speaks ever again.
And so he does, and is welcomed by the satisfied hum of Ivan in between it, like a dog finally getting its treat after so many tricks. An imaginative mind is all it takes to see the bastard's tail thumping and shaking left and right behind him.
On the back of his mind, Till reminds himself that they are still in a public place, even if he specifically chose a spot that is on a secluded part of the library, but the smell of flowers beside him, the chuckle that Ivan releases when Till's grip on his sleeve tightens as he pushes his lips towards the latter even further, the easy glide of Ivan interlocking their hands together—it all stops any coherent thought in Till's mind.
He stays there, even as Ivan insufferably lays his whole upper body on Till's lap with arms flapping and his legs awkwardly bending to fit his tall figure on the window sill, making Till pull on his sketchbook and mechanical pencil with a yell, then immediately smacking it right dab on Ivan's face.
He does not let go of Ivan's hand even when the latter's eyes go wide with fake, glistening tears as he profusely pouted at how Till was so mean to him, and continues to hold onto it with Ivan dozing off on his shoulder, now sketching the bouquet that sits on his empty side as the school bell from outside the library signals the start of noon.
Till glances at the flowers, can mutely smell its familiar aroma, and when he steals another one towards Ivan's sleeping figure that is muttering incoherent syllables, Till lets his lips break into a small but indulgent smile before he glides his mechanical pen on the surface of his sketchbook once more.
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a promise (yours, yours, yours). until the end (of forevermore),
"Here."
Tobio looks up and sees Kei holding out his white beanie, the one with cat eyes and whiskers and cute little ears. The setter blinks for a moment and stares. Confused, he tilts his head to the side.
Kei just snorts at his expression, hinting to Tobio that it may or may not be a breath taken out to humiliate him, but he is surprised to feel hands on his ear, and Tobio shivers in reflex at the warmth on his skin.
"You're freezing cold." Kei pulls his fingertips to the shell of his ear, massaging them between his thumb and index, before gliding them further up to play with Tobio's locks. "Wear it." He pertains to the beanie.
They stare at each other for a long while, Tobio just because he wanted to, and Kei with a silent but patient question. It wasn't long until Tobio raised his palm and Kei laid the beanie on its surface. Momentarily moving himself away from Kei's hand, Tobio secures the beanie on his head, ducking his head, then tries to make his bangs look presentable right after.
He hears a laugh from above. It's Kei, cracking his lips into an amused smile. "Cute."
Tobio immediately feels the surface of the skin on his face grow warm. He frowns, the kind that's a signature of his. "Shut up."
Kei raised a brow with a snicker, before stepping closer to his figure that is still seated on the swing set. He fiddles with Tobio's bangs, leaving the latter to close his eyes and relax in front of him, and when Kei lets go, Tobio steadies his gaze.
He does not jump when Kei leans his body even further and steals a kiss from his lips, closing his eyes as if it's nothing but a habit by now. The surface of Kei's glasses always makes it a bit awkward, but Tobio doesn't mind it, hasn't minded it with how close they keep attaching themselves to one another. Tobio hears Kei taking a short breath between his lips and it is enough.
And so Tobio does not resist interlocking his hand with Kei's, squeezing it for additional ease as they don't pull away, leaving it hanging around the air.
Kei doesn't fully stand up when he lets go, but instead snuggles his cheek towards Tobio's, then moves to his neck, leaving a small peck on the skin that has Tobio sighing.
"Are you not uncomfortable?" Tobio points out his posture.
Kei just hums. "Never when I'm with you."
The simplicity leaves Tobio's heart thumping. He leans his head to Kei's shoulder, and holds out his arms to hug Kei. Kei moves into a kneeling position, the back of his ankle supporting his upper body, and places his hands on Tobio's neck and waist.
"We have to leave." Tobio mutters to his jacket.
"Stay here for a moment." Kei whispers to his ear.
There are leaves that carelessly fall around them, and when Tobio's gaze catches into one, he follows its dark yellow form and is reminded of Kei's eyes. He had the urge to see them all of a sudden, and so Tobio pushes his body away from Kei and ignores his disagreeing sigh. He steadies himself with a hold on the middle blocker's shoulder to stop the swing from moving him too much.
Tobio stares into those dark, golden circles and lines framed by white and black, lets his hand caress its holder's cheek, and stays there.
"Mhm. Okay. Just a few minutes more."
Kei's gaze softens, whatever he saw in Tobio's face is the reason for it. Or perhaps the unusual softness of his voice. His gentle, affectionate touch. The way the wind still pulled on his covered locks for a simple dance. How the beanie looked on his ever-stoic expression that is now painted with autumn's cold but relaxing messages.
"Just a few minutes."
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With an exclamation cracking through the playing music from his headphones, Kei turns around, pulling away one of its speakers from his ear with a raised brow. There goes a panting Tobio, resting his hands on his knees in exhaustion.
"What?" Kei huffs.
"You left without me." Tobio frowns.
The corner of Kei's lips twitch at that, before he turns his head away with a fake cough. He starts moving, ignoring the warmth growing on his cheeks. "I didn't know I signed some contract to serve the King himself in after school hours."
"Hey, w-wait!" Tobio squawks. Kei hears buckling steps from behind him, and he feels Tobio's figure on his side but doesn't return anything at Tobio's accusing glare. "I-I thought... you-" He cuts himself off. "You said it yourself... damn it, Tsukishima." He grits his teeth.
It leaves Kei finally looking at him, then away, then back to him again, and then he quickens his steps. "I don't know what you're talking about."
At that point, all Kei had hoped for was for the concrete streets to swallow him whole, regardless of his expensive headphones that he won't admit he adores in front of Akiteru's face, the one that had gifted it to him. To hell with not running away from his feelings, he'd gladly do it time and time again even if it leaves him ashamed because of his cowardice choice.
But, with how it had been a while since he had grown to reluctantly know Tobio, the volleyball idiot was nothing but stubborn, and the only thing Kei took for granted was the possibility of that same stubbornness to be directed at him.
The way he had let Tobio grab his hand was one proof of his supposed nonchalance from it all, and Kei would have probably laughed if he weren't the one in the midst of all this ridiculousness. He sighs, close to biting his lip and ruining his hair with his hand in frustration, "What, King? What am I supposed to do here, exactly?"
Idiot. Asshole. You obviously know what exactly.
Shut up. Kei retaliates to that annoying voice in the back of his mind. It makes him a little late to react to Tobio suddenly looking determined, a fierce look in his eyes, but the blush on his face betrays the energy he seems to want to give, "I already said I like you!" He tightly clutches Kei's hand with both of his own, holding desperately for the blonde's full attention. "And you returned it! 'Sure. Me as well.', you said it yourself! So w-why...!" His voice rises, and he can't seem to get away from the earlier high of his run, but it's accompanied something else. Something from deep within.
Kei's lips useless hang open, forming an 'o' while his headㅡone that he had been praised for, one that made them win for Nationals, one that has him be a straight-100s studentㅡturn into a puddle of mush. He'd say it's an exaggeration but it felt as if his legs were gonna buckle without his permission.
Yeah. Okay. Fine. Damn it all to hell.
From start to finish, all Kei could feel was a whirring rush of continuous warmth, and it connects with the weight of Tobio's fingers on top of his, leaving him with a quickening heartbeat like Tobio's earlier confession at lunch break, and Kei knows he should be quick to decide.
Removing his burning face from his empty hand, he fidgetily looks back at Tobio again and, oh, it took everything for Kei to not kiss the King's reddening skin in the middle of the street. It was a sight for sore eyes, and a reminder why he had reciprocated and blurted out his feelings in the first place.
His ego is left shattered on the cold ground, but Kei, even with much difficulty, knows that he should be better than being the one who is always running away, in the end. Because Tobio had been genuine to him from the startㅡhe was the one who had immediately smashed it all up, in the first place.
Kei finally squeezes Tobio's hand back, both of them still connected amidst the air of the early evening and golden hour, and he both hears and watches Tobio's breath hitch. And with the proximity of their wrists as well, it was as if Kei could hear the unsteady rise of the setter's pulse, and he relishes on the fact that he's the reason for it happening.
"Sorry." Kei mutters, close to stuttering. Then, he inhales, to steady his breath, and releases a short sigh. "I mean what I said. About me liking you."
"G-good!" Tobio grunts, even between his own cracked words. "I definitely would have whacked you in the head if you ran from me..."
Startled, Kei lets out a loud laugh without even realizing. He immediately covers his mouth with the back of his hand to defy it, and his lips form a smirk as support, "Scary. How violent of His Highness."
Tobio glares at him, and Kei stops himself from pinching his cheeks that still have dusts of pink on them that making his supposed angry look similar to those of puppies. "You're still gonna be the same old jerk, huh?"
"Why? Want me to act all lovey-dovey to you?" Kei starts to walk again, pulling Tobio by the hand, and Tobio doesn't seem to notice that they still haven't let go of each other.
Tobio's nose scrunches in disgust, "No. You'll look weird."
"Gee, thanks." Kei snorts.
"Besides," Tobio ignores his wit, "I still continued to like you even when you kept being an asshole. So," He looks at Kei directly in the eyes. "Don't try to be someone else."
He knows, Kei knows fully well, that Tobio had always been blunt. He'd startle if it leads him to being wrong, but he's direct. Straight to the point and has never filtered out anything. Perhaps it's just like how Kei is, but they're different. He's all snark, but Tobio is genuine to a fault. Naïve in the corners, but it is the truth. Wholeheartedly.
But that doesn't mean that Tobio's words don't leave Kei's face slowly going into flames once again. Will this be the norm from now on? They don't even have an official label yet. And yet Kei continues to hide his embarrassment with the unstable straightening of his lips, wanting to give up.
Tobio still continues to be clueless, not having to grow witness to Kei's dilemma, and he adds, "Maybe something's wrong with me. Why you?" Tobio huffs a breath, incredulous.
Kei raises a brow, scoffing, "Wow. You're really... okay, then."
Seeing his expression, Tobio looks away, "Joking."
"You're very funny." Kei bridges his original sarcasm to completion, and Tobio looked like he was close to bursting our laughing right on his face. "Though," And Kei decided that that won't do, and with the drive of teasing Tobio to an extent in the back of his mind, he pulls on the setter's hands, ignoring the yelp that follow it, and free-handedly held Tobio's waist, putting them in close proximity. "I think this would be even funnier. Don't you think so, Kageyama?"
The lack of the usual nickname, how close they are, then Kei's steady clutch on his side even if with his uniform halting the direct skin-to-skin contact, it was simply too much for one Kageyama Tobio, and his cheeks grow as a strong contender for a competition with a tomato with its bright color. "Y-YOUㅡ!!!!!"
"Hm? Me what?" Kei innocently blinks, raising their hand-holding escapade, and there Tobio finally notices that he forgot to let go, leaving him spluttering even more in his spot. Kei decides to freefall, go fuck itㅡbesides, he's already too far goneㅡand nudges his cheek towards Tobio's knuckles, not letting go for a second.
With nothing to do but to continue standing there and letting Kei do what he wanted, Tobio's lips open and close and shake even more, until it seemed he couldn't take all of it anymore and just let his head thump to the surface of Kei's shoulder, hiding himself from the embarrassment of it all.
Kei slightly went still but he regains himself, chuckling, "Growing shy even now?"
It's slightly muffled, but Tobio doesn't do his incessant daily yelling in practice and matches, which are almost always triggered by one ginger-haired spiker, of his, "SHUT UP!" to fail being heard by Kei, who lets himself fully laugh, shamelessly amused.
"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, Your Highness." It still leaves with an edge of teasing, but Kei half-smiles at Tobio, who only pouted back at him, continuing to lay his head on Kei's shoulder. "Come on." Kei finally lets go of him, putting some distance between them, but he doesn't let go of Tobio's hand.
He leads the setter towards the path home, one that he should have already done numerous moments ago, but he stays in the now, walking while still turned to Tobio who looked everywhere but his direction, the pigment on his face finally calming down, but they are left there to stay.
"How about a quick stop at that ramen shop near your apartment?"
Tobio eyes him for a moment, still suspicious, but Kei only raises a brow expectantly. The raven considers for a moment, before sighing, "Sure."
"Good." Kei nods. He gently caresses Tobio's palm with his thumb, and Kei hears him make a slight reaction, but it didn't sound like defiance, and so the blonde silently continues on, slowing down to match with Tobio's pace which now has them side by side, their footsteps accompanied by yellow lamp posts and the sky turning into a dark blue.
He'd been running all his life, even if it always leaves him exhausted, in unadmitted emptiness, built from his frustrations and not being open for change. But Kei looks back at all those moments, and tries to not repeat them again. It started with that 3 on 3 match all those months ago, then Karasuno, to that summer camp, from his unwilted dedication to the sport he plays, then ultimately Akiteru. They are all paths that Kei had run on, and have eventually slowed down on as well, catching his breath, forming learning materials for the future. But those are days of the tomorrow's.
For now, he'll walk back home with Tobio, holding his hand, staying with that continuous warmth in their own little path, wherever it may lead them.
if you'd like to support this fic, it's on ao3 as well ! <3
Tobio had gotten used to the silence that surrounds their apartment, sometimes he's lucky at weekends where his sister would check up on him because of her worry about her little brother missing her which Tobio just blinks at before silently agreeing as Miwa envelops him into a tight hug, but most of the time, Tobio's alone.
He's got a routine out of it because of years being left and learning how to do things alone, from teaching himself about the random things he sees on the internet including the times where he gets curious enough that he roams around the neighborhood to sightsee in between his morning jogs when there's no school or practice.
All in all, Tobio doesn't mind the silence, after all it's been the norm of his life for so long already, so he accepted the truth way before that he should be getting used to this and handle it in some way. In some days, Tobio feels like wanting to do anything than just lay on their couch all day in front of the TV but the thought quickly drifts away when he knows there's no point because he'd be going back to the couch in the end.
So when the familiar buzz of the doorbell from outside rings on his ear, Tobio snaps his head up to the door with furrowed brows, already wondering who it was because it's two in the afternoon which is not the common time when Miwa visits him on saturdays and his parents are in separate work trips in other prefectures he didn't try to figure out as to which. But with a reluctant and slightly drifting mind, Tobio stands up to open the door.
The seconds in which he walked his way from his room to the genkan gave Tobio time to think of the possible person or people who'd randomly go to his home without notifying him but none of those options included a Tsukishima Kei whose head rose up from the sound of the door opening and his auburn eyes subtly filled with color when a dumbfounded Tobio comes into view.
"What...are you doing here?" Tobio tilts his head with obvious confusion plastered on his face, quickly noticing the white plastic bag on Tsukishima's hand that Tsukishima immediately fumbled with when he saw that Tobio saw it, the setter looking back up at him again with a raised brow after giving the item a silent glance.
Tsukishima blinks for a moment, his mouth slightly parting as if it's trying to figure out what to let out, and even if he's still dazed at the situation, Tobio silently waits for it. But Tsukishima's mouth closes and Tobio is left with even more of a furrowed brow.
"Um...?" Tobio tries to continue.
That seemed to blow away the fog off of Tsukishima's mind and he blinks before softly clearing his throat, "I... saw a friend of your sister's on the way up here and he told me to give this to you."
Friend? Tobio tilts his head to the side. He quickly figures it's possibly Shun since the older guy gives him visits from time to time as well, instructed by Miwa, just checking up on him and giving him snacks and drinks so someone knows he's still up and going, though Tobio always tried to convince all of them that he's fine on his own. It's not that they don't trust him, but Tobio guesses that's just their own way of caring because of not having the capability to stay with him on their own.
Still, curiosity starts to perk from Tobio's mind as he stares at Tsukishima's figure awkwardly standing in the genkan, the setter not being used to seeing someone taller than Shun being in front of him inside his home. He wonders what Tsukishima was doing in this certain apartment building, and he also wonders how Shun even knew that Tsukishima knew Tobioㅡthat last observation made Tobio feel suspicious.
His rambling thoughts were interrupted when he hears a sigh from the boy in front of him before he walked past Tobio, setting the plastic bag on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Tobio takes a moment to blink with a matching gaping mouth at the casual way Tsukishima just strolled inside until he's brought back from the sound of a snort.
"I have to say," Tsukishima starts, a hint of a curve on the sides of his lips, "You look different with casual clothes."
The familiar teasing tone of the blonde makes Tobio's nose scrunch up in annoyance, "We literally go out once in a while as a team and I wear casual clothes. What are you saying?"
Tsukishima hums, "Didn't know you were the type to wear pajamas outside but I don't really want to know you that well, so..."
Tobio scoffs, walking close to the kitchen counter where Tsukishima is leaning onto, grabbing a pitcher filled with water to pour Tsukishima some, but he doesn't forget to quickly punch Tsukishima first in the arm, meaning to hurt but not too much, and the wince from the latter at the impact makes Tobio huff triumphantly.
"Strong words for someone who just barged in here."
"I have a side quest named 'Annoying one Kageyama Tobio'." Tsukishima sarcastically says, accepting the glass of water and drinking it as he watched Tobio roll his eyes at his antics.
"Nerd." Tobio gives him a look before turning to the couch, making a hand gesture that lets Tsukishima know to follow him.
"Too bad." Tsukishima deadpans as he sits down the couch while Tobio resumes what he was watching. "Side quest, remember?"
Tobio just pushes him with his foot on the leg and on reflex, Tsukishima doesn't hesitate to kick back.
Oddly enough, between the two of them, slowly but surely, they started having some sort of dynamic at the start of their second year, which was quickly noticed by the people around them, especially the Karasuno team who had to adjust themselves to get used to their insults now transforming into the usual bickering.
Even the two of them didn't know how it had started. One day, the other just started not being that much of an irritation inside the court, until it gradually included their time outside of practice and school as well. Perhaps it's the study sessions that Tsukishima always seemed to get pulled into and more-or-less, him and Tobio are the ones left alone, with Shoyo taking a long path home and Tobio having nothing else to do, and so he frequents in the Tsukishima household after those study sessions.
Yamaguchi lives close by but he always seemed to be doing something that has him not having the choice to stay with Tobio. One day, Tobio questions Tsukishima about it and all he had was a disgruntled emotion in his face that Tobio didn't get. In the end, Tsukishima slightly grimaced as he covered half of his face before simply tapping Tobio's head with his pen as a mere ploy for annoyance and it worked, leaving Tobio not dwelling on Yamaguchi's deal any longer.
Yachi always goes home early for dinner with her mother, but she's also the type to set a curfew for herself because her mother doesn't establish her worry out in the open frequently and so Tobio is left to deal with salt humanified beside him more than what he had imagined would be possible since their unpleasant first meeting.
Perhaps it's the quick ease they settle into when it comes to insulting each other because they now know that the other doesn't mean any harm unless it goes too far, but those are not as frequent as they were back in their first year. And, though Tobio will never admit it to Tsukishima's infuriating face, him and Tsukishima actually, kind of, works, one way or another. He doesn't deny that it's strange, but they know each other enough now to form an invisible pact to not go too far with each other anymore.
"Yeah, but Amaki's still way too much of an idiot for them to end up together at the end of this episode." Tobio snorts.
"Don't be stupid, King, this is not like one of those korean dramas where it's already 14 episodes in and they've only just held hands." Tsukishima gives him a judging glance before taking another sip of his pineapple ade. "Besides, Ryo is a stuck-up and he'd definitely want to confess first before Haru. Haru's still the main lead."
"Wasn't it already established that Amaki's gonna end up with Ryo first before Haru until the timeskip? It's like setting, you have to think of the speed of the toss first-"
"Oh my fucking god, don't even try and start another one of your volleyball tangents."
Tobio just huffs before looking away, ignoring the grimace in Tsukishima's face so he can fight the laugh bubbling in his throat.
For now, their usual arguments when it comes to japanese dramas have started for some reason, and Tsukishima always spites him when he tries to understand the plot with volleyball-related point of view's. At some point, Tobio now only does it just to spite him back.
Their back and forth is cut off when the doorbell rings after a long time and they look at each other for a moment, Tsukishima raising a brow and Tobio shrugging, clueless. He gets up from the couch, notices that it's already been a couple of hours since Tsukishima had stayed from the clock on the wall, and the next thing he realized is that technically, this is the first time Tsukishima had been in his house for the first time, excluding the time Yachi and the others surprised him in front of their doorstep in his birthday with a cake at exactly midnight sharp.
Tobio didn't have the chance to dwell on it much longer when he opens the door, and sees the familiar pink locks of Shun before the man himself.
"Shun-san."
"Hey, Tobio." Immediately from seeing him, Shun smiles before stepping in with ease as Tobio steps away for him. "Just here to take something that Miwa wants me to bring for her." The older male walks into the hallway, then he notices Tsukishima sitting on the couch who'd already been looking at him. "Ah, it's you." Shun gives the blonde his easy smile, "I see you've enjoyed the drinks I bought."
"Ah, Shun-san, thank you for the drinks." Tobio bows his head a little, always feeling that he should be polite to the older male whenever they meet.
Shun just chuckles and softly shakes his hand around the air. "It's fine, it's fine. Get used to it, because I'm never stopping."
Tobio gives him a look of gratitude from the side and Shun grins before ruffling his hair. "I'll be quick." He walks to the hallways leading to Miwa's small office at the center of it and Tobio watched his figure for a moment before turning back to Tsukishima who had been steadily watching the interaction and the raven raises a brow.
Tobio gives him a look of his own as he sits back down to the chair. "You're acting weird."
"I see you're finally reading expressions easily nowadays."
His sarcastic tone sounds strange for Tobio, making him frown and his brows furrow trying to figure out as to what's wrong with it, but Tsukishima continues to face the TV and so Tobio is left muttering to himself before finally relaxing in his seat.
It's not long before Shun emerges from the hallway with a box held by his hands that has a print of a brand of hair products on it. Tobio stands up again to say goodbye. "Ah, Shun-san-"
"It's fine, it's not that heavy, surprisingly." Shun smiles at Tobio when the younger holds out his arms to help. Shun can hold it with one hand in ease as he gestures with the other, making Tobio reluctantly nod.
He follows Shun to the genkan and opens the door for him where Shun was about to retort, but the familiar politeness of the younger male makes him smile exasperatedly but adoringly as it always does. "Take care of yourself, will you? I know Miwa doesn't show it well, but she does care." Shun lightly sighs.
"I will, Shun-san." Tobio merely nods, which makes Shun shake his head with a soft look on his face once again before ruffling Tobio's hair with the ease of their height difference.
"Bye-bye." Shun waves at him with an easy smile one last time, and Tobio returns it with a small wave of his own before he closes the door.
Tobio turns from it only for him to be surprised to see Tsukishima behind the kitchen counter, unpacking a can of beer from the plastic bag which Tobio only now noticed. He questions to himself why Shun would willingly gift it to him when he knows Tobio doesn't drink but ah, now he's not the one drinking it so Tobio just shrugs it off anyway.
He notices the tension in Tsukishima's shoulders with the way he stands. He's just looking at the wooden counter with a faraway look in his eyes. Tobio frowns, now sitting in one of the chairs in front of the counter. "Seriously, what's wrong with you? Did Toma dying actually affect you that bad?"
For a while, Tobio doesn't receive a reply, deepening his frown. He couldn't quite restrain himself from finally flicking Tsukishima's exposed forehead with his fingers and it's left successful from not only snapping the blonde out of it, but also gaining a glare from him. "Fucking-"
Tobio only raises a brow at this. "What?" He says, daring Tsukishima to do something.
Tsukishima continues to give him an irritated look for a few moments before sighing, swiftly gliding his glasses back to the center of his nose with his middle finger. He looks away, fingertips slightly playing with the beer can it's wrapped around. "Nothing."
"Uh huh..." Tobio says, not convinced.
His tone makes Tsukishima look him up and down in judgement before releasing a breath. "You..." Tsukishima starts.
Tobio waits for the continuation, but only the murmur of the TV and the muted horn of a car passing by is what envelops the silence between them, making Tobio feel puzzled. "Me...?"
Tight-lipped, Tsukishima turns to him, giving Tobio another one of his weird expressions similar to the one he had last time, then the blonde turns away, looking at anything except him.
It slightly makes Tobio want to scoff, how weird the blonde was acting. But before he could speak again, his phone buzzes from his pocket and he opens it, seeing a new email from Shun. He quickly replies back with another form of gratitude which Shun only replies with the ease he always had.
Moriyama Shun-san
wwwwww
tobio has always been like a little brother to me as well, you know
one day, i'm sending you a whole box of all of those ade flavors
just tell me when you want them delivered ! ! ! !
Tobio's eyes slightly widens before quickly typing a refusal, not before he hears a scoff from in front of him, and he settles his attention to Tsukishima who had another strange look on his face.
"What?" Patience thinning, Tobio grunts.
"Nothing." Tsukishima's brow twitches before he looks away and drinks from his can.
Tobio rolls his eyes before continuing his message to Shun which the older male sends another batch of "w"'s and "it's okay"'s to that Tobio frowns at.
"You seem close."
Tobio looks up again, only to see Tsukishima turned away from him, his hand still resting on the counter to stable himself. Tobio doesn't quite get what Tsukishima was saying at first before he sent his last message to Shun and closed his phone, laying it on the wooden surface. "Shun-san?"
Tobio hums, actually considering it, looking up at the ceiling, and so he doesn't see how Tsukishima finally turns back to him, watching as he contemplates. "He's friends with nee-san. I wouldn't say we're close but..." His brows furrow, not knowing how to word it. "He's... kind to me. He asks me about volleyball once in a while and tries to understand even if he doesn't play. He's.." He finally looks up, locking eyes with Tsukishima who now has a solemn look in his eyes. "He's like.. Suga-san. He takes care of me." Tobio ends, simply and satisfied.
Tsukishima was silent for a moment, watching water drip down his beer can's surface before simply humming.
It makes Tobio feel strange again, not used to a Tsukishima that... that was this weird. He'd always know that it will always be difficult to fully figure out Tsukishima but the mood that the middle blocker had been having since Shun arrived scratched something inside Tobio, wanting to understand why the other was acting that way but not knowing where to start.
Another frown settles in Tobio's lips, "Hey, seriously, what's wrong with you?"
"Hah... what's wrong with me?" Tsukishima emptily chuckles. "Shit if I know."
It leaves Tobio feeling more confused and honestly, slightly.. frustrated. He doesn't know why he wants to know the reason why Tsukishima is acting weird in the first place. Last time Tobio checked, he would just brush it off with Tsukishima being the usual Tsukishima but this... Tobio couldn't quite shrug off the tight feeling in his chest at the thought of leaving Tsukishima alone just like that.
"Why are you being so difficult?"
"I'm not being difficult. I'm-" Tsukishima sighs, before pulling out a hand to mess his bangs out of the way, seeming frustrated. "Forget it."
"No. You're acting weird. Tell me."
"I said forget it."
"It's a different kind of weird, damn it."
"Kageyama...!"
The sudden rise of Tsukishima's voice leaves Tobio slightly wide-eyed, letting Tsukishima watch his stunned stance turn closed-off by the second.
Noticing, Tsukishima seems to grit his teeth, before massaging his forehead with his hand, closing his eyes followed by a wind-up sigh.
Watching Tsukishima unfold right in front of him, the weird feeling in Tobio's chest tightens even more and he opens his mouth around an awkward apology for pushing Tsukishima to his limits when he feels something rest on his head.
The weight stuns Tobio for a good while that he doesn't realize what it was at first, but as he slowly raised his eyes, he sees the white bracelet wrapped around Tsukishima which they all have from when they visited a temple together for the new years a few months ago. It doesn't quite reach Tobio's face for the strands in its edges to tickle his nose, but it leaves his skin with strange warmth, and Tobio doesn't know why it's strange in the first place.
Doesn't know why Tsukishima's hand is laid on top of his hair, why it starts to slowly play with it after the moments Tobio missed to say something. The movement makes Tobio feel choked up with something, and he inhales as his eyes ventures somewhere. Somewhere turned out to be Tsukishima covering half of his face as he stares at Tobio, looking pink at the edges.
And when they stare at each other far too long, Tobio holding his breath, and Tsukishima with his glasses turning crooked because of his knuckles on the way, Tsukishima is the first to look away, seeming redder than before.
All air seemed to get punched out of Tobio's lungs when Tsukishima's hand messily ruffles his locks that made Tobio duck his head from the weight, letting Tsukishima do what he was doing even if Tobio clearly couldn't understand whatㅡjust that Tsukishima is playing with his hair and it feels different compared to when Suga does it, or when Shun curls them with his fingertips with every chance he gets. It's definitely vastly different from Oikawa's way of handling his hair because it's not- it's not this soft, leaving his stomach in knots, and he sure wasn't the one drinking beer between him and Tsukishima.
At one point, Tobio makes a scrunched-up sound, not knowing when his eyes started to close themselves, then suddenly, Tsukishima's hand is pulling away and as with everything outside of anything, Tobio finds difficulty in things and he's easily confused by things that aren't familiar or strange to him, and the impulse of his hand that reached back for Tsukishima's palm is left as one of his strange impulses.
He watches the way Tsukishima finally lets go of his own face, lips parting in surprise because of him, but Tsukishima doesn't pull away from his hand, doesn't break away from the hazy stare Tobio sends his way, even if his hand twitches from its confinement, even if Tobio himself didn't know he was making some kind of look.
"King?" Tsukishima, seeming breathless as if he had ran a whole marathon.
There, he doesn't know it, just as he feels as if he'll never fully know Tsukishima, Tobio has another thing he doesn't understand, doesn't understand why Tsukishima is looking at him the same way he'd seen Haru look at Amaki at the final episode of "And So I Fall" when Amaki merely looked back at Haru with a grin. With the way Haru looked, it was as if Amaki hung the stars and it was all for Haru and for him only.
What Tobio does understand is the he has the urge to tighten his hold around Tsukishima's wrist, and so he does, continues watching Tsukishima as his breath hitched, lips quivering in an unfamiliar way. Another strange impulse of Tobio appears when his mind murmurs to him to lay his thumb on those lips' surface so it can go back to Tsukishima's familiar snicker instead of its wobbly form cracking around nervousness.
"Tobio, where are- oh my."
Everything seemed to shatter into pieces and Tobio jumps from where he was seated, dropping Tsukishima's hands as he faces the direction of the genkan only to see Shun with his own surprised expression.
Tobio stiffly stands and walks up to him. "Shun-san."
Shan's face is pulled into a sheepish but seemingly knowing glint. "Ah, did I.. interrupt something?" He looks between Tobio and Tsukishima with wonder.
Tobio still feels winded, strangely enough, but he turns into autopilot and says, "You- you didn't. Did you forget something, Shun-san?"
Shun hums, still considering the scene that he had seemingly interrupted before plastering an easy smile. "My work is actually finished already and I told Miwa-chan I'd be cooking dinner for you. She'll follow soon enough."
"Ah... I see." Tobio slowly nods. He's familiar with Miwa not having the time to join him for dinner these couple of months so the news leaves him settled, and he already sees the catching up that Miwa would be doing later that night.
"I'm leaving."
The sound of Tsukishima's voice makes Tobio freeze for a moment, forgetting he was there, but he didn't have time to react and fully turn to where Tsukishima was just a few moments ago before the blonde is already walking past him and swiftly tying the shoes he was wearing.
"Already?" Tobio hears himself say, before he catches himself.
But it was too late to take back when Tsukishima looks up at him, a complicated shadow clouding his face before he nodded. Done with his shoes, Tsukishima stands up in his full height and turns to Shun, much to the older male's additional surprise, "I'll be off. Thank you."
Brushing off his surprise, Shun smiles, "It's no bother."
Tsukishima gives him a small nod before turning to Tobio who suddenly had the urge to play with his fingers in frustration. Tsukishima gives him a small wave along the tilt of his head with a slight edge of mirth around it before turning away and exiting the apartment, not waiting for Tobio's response.
"Ah-" Tobio's hand reaches out in reflex but the soft closing of the door echoes in his ear and he is once again left in his place with a confusing frustration twisting his chest.
A whistle from beside him pulls him away for a little bit, sees Shun leaning on the edge of the genkan's wall connected to the one leading to the hallway with his arms crossed. His usual smile curves his lips but Tobio senses something different from them, and he's left sputtering at Shun's following words, "You know, I'm surprised. I didn't think you like those types of people but you're pretty surprising yourself, Tobio. Still, don't you think as your self-declared nii-san, you'd introduce me to your partner instead of pretending you're just friends?"
"Wha-wha... WHAT!? No, it's- you're absolutely wrong, Shun-san...! Tsukishima is-"
"So his name is Tsukishima?" Shun hums, nodding to himself as he ignores Tobio's yells of denial. "Ah, that'd make your name sound awkward one day. Though, Tsukishima Tobio kind of has a nice ring to it, right?"
"Tsukishima Tobio- I AM NOT MARRYING HIM!!!!!??? We're not d-d-dating..!!! Shun-san, you're completely mistaken...!" At that point, Tobio resembled a tomato more than a blueberry which he had been compared to by Shun from time to time. Forget the heat he felt when Tsukishima was still here, Shun's ridiculousness made him feel lightheaded.
Shun laughs wholeheartedly at his state. "Wow, this is amazing. Not once did I ever see you this red! It's genuine astonishment, even from me!"
"Shun-san...!!!!!!"
Tobio was on the brink of exploding into smithereens.
Even as the night settles upon the apartment, Shun doesn't stop from his continuous teasing that left Tobio wearing earphones to finally mute out his voice out which only made Shun laugh even more until Miwa comes home to a silent Tobio faceplanting on the dining table, Shun chuckling at him in between his bites.
"What did you do to my baby brother, you idiot." Miwa raises a brow as she joins them.
"Nothing!" Shun plays innocent, still grinning.
And as the hours close to midnights comes closer and closer with every quickening thump of his heart, Tobio sits on his bed, resting his back to the wall beside it with only his lamp from his desk giving light to his room. Once again, his confusion from earlier still leaves him confused until nowㅡconfused at his reaction and confused by Tsukishima all over again.
Absentmindedly, Tobio's hand on top of his knees reaches up to his hair and he starts playing with it using his fingers, seeing another sight of Tsukishima with his scarlet of a face covered by his hand and the other on his locks as Tobio zones out staring at the empty corner of his room. When he realizes what he was doing, Tobio's lips thin out and he can't help but bite them in frustration as he now fully rests his head on his knees, covering his warming face from an audience of none.
"Damn it, Tsukishima..."
Tobio mutters to himself, before it turns into a full-on groan as he thumps his head back to the wall with eyes closed.
"King?" Tsukishima, seeming breathless as if he had ran a whole marathon.
Tobio covers his reddening face in the dark with the back of his hand, letting out a strangled sound which he doesn't know the meaning of.
All he knows is that that damn nickname that was once was a wretched insult thrown at him had never sounded so... so right until it was Tsukishima who had said it with that strange timbre of his voice.
Now is when Tobio wonders when did Tsukishima start calling him that with no hint of malice.
Because all he knows is that Tsukishima is one of those very few people who can still call him that, the same way he knows Tsukishima had always said it differently than everyone else.
All of it is all Tobio thinks about as he falls asleep with his hand close to his hair, searching for a different surface, one that is roughened up and trained by blocks and not sets.
if you'd like to support this fic on ao3 as well, here is the link to that ! <3
thank you so much to everyone who has been interacting and supporting my posts here, tho i only post not that frequently!! ♡♡ hoping for more years to come :DD ! ☆
where's the trophy? he just comes running over to me
There's not a lot of novels that Kei had read recently. Maybe two or three for the past two years, one introduced to him by Manager Shintani from the Sendai Museum, the second book for a series about an underground city and a Crown Princess getting thrown to the overworld because of his misgivings. The other two, surprisingly, from Tobio, but Kei thinks about it over and over, just imagining Tobio rummaging through bookshelves after Kei offhandedly mentioned about an e-book he'd been listening to for the past weeks and that familiar feeling inside of him is mystifying. Then again, when Kei thinks of Tobio, it only leaves him with a warmth that forgets itself to be removed from the thumping heart of his.
Meanwhile, their side of the story is one that isn't polished at best, but a rough diamond for the worst. And as Kei passes a streetlamp from the sidewalk he walks through, it leads him back to a memory of a barely adult Tobio, more awkward than he still is, beneath those yellow lights that could never contain the blooming roses on his cheeks, the same flowers held around his hands that shook from his nerves.
In front is a frozen Kei that forgets to exhale, forming smoke in front of his face as his chest continues to release beats aligned upwards on a monitor, and, oh, if only Kei had a camera to save a frame of Tobio covering his reddening face as he continues to stand there.
Tobio had muttered that midnight, easing himself but the flash of hurt is simply laid out from the tempo of his voice, "You don't... you don't have to accept it, just-" He sucks in a breath, before staring up, straight into the shocked Kei who kept blinking away the madness in front of him, but Tobio will be damnedㅡif madness is what it takes, then he's the craziest person this town has ever seen. "I mean it. I mean all of it. Ever since. And it's not just for today."
Kei is no better than his past, less prideful but still leaving his heart reserved for the same name over and over again just as he is reserved in another's.
It's easy from then on, after all the takeouts of a relationship Kei had ordered, filling the gaps after their fallout from graduation, but Kei has no time to dwell on such pathetic pages of the past, like a betrayal from the other side of a court's terrace, holding banners and now a too-small sweater worn away from time, just as Kei steps away from the cracking memories of the history of theirs that continues to be written.
Sliding through the crowd is no easy fit when expecting no attention, with how he is known himself even with the casual coat and turtleneck he wears from his looming figure, but the whispers flee around him nonetheless. He's familiar with gasps wrapped around his name, excitement of kids pulling on their parent's hand, but the buzzing of negativity around the defeat of his home is just on the other side of the coin, a mere transparent border separating itself from the empty air that opens from Kei's non-cancelling headphones that lets him hear all of it.
No matterㅡas the doors open for him and as Kei follows his familiarity and settles in front of a room that has important lines of calligraphy attached to it, and when his hand settles on the knob, it turns on its own and he is faced with the representative of his home.
The door is closed with a tightening hug around Kei's body.
And so the matches follow, and with every block and spike, the continuous back and forth to show that this is the real stage to play on, showcasing that only the strong and ambitious are placed in front, and there is no empty seat when Japan qualifies for finals and the next day steps in for all monitors and home TVs. No one is as breath-taken than the gaze Kei receives when Tobio kisses the ring-band around his neck.
Another page for this volume of the series turns.
The deafening screams of the whole gymnasium threatens to shake the ground that the players stand on, the echoing sound of the last whistle forming a crescendo with Tobio's quickening pants, sweat has long been visible on his skin. But with the firm grab of Tadashi in his arm that shakes him to the core, it is no match for how Kei leans forward from his seat, forgetting his surroundings.
It's easy to empty his mind, as it always does when he comes face to face with Tobio. Dinners in candlelights, morning runs that follows, surprise visits in the museum, quick deliveries to a familiar gymnasiumㅡit all connects from their first meeting with a tight grip on Kei's shirt.
It's not far fetched from how carefree of a hold Tobio has with Kei's heart.
And so it sings with Japan's red and white side of the bleachers, forthcoming the waves of lights from the high ceilings as it bounces back from Kei's rimmed glasses that threaten to fall off of his face. No one has any right to say anything when he takes a hold of the borders of the main court, not hesitating to use all the strength he gained from loving the sport he once deemed just to jump over it like the performer he is.
Now, the sky-reaching bulbs from above feels like a spotlight for his solo, but noㅡit's no solo for his partner is within arm's reach, after a figure of professionalism is lifted up but the gaze attached to it leans further to what is far away but is now reaching closer, and closer, and closer.
Kei doesn't even think about the flash of hurt in his chest when it collides with Tobio's, the warmth of his arms around his waist the only thing to remind Kei he is alive, and breathing, and this close to what is the best he can ever achieve, more than that crown of his Highness, more than what that medal and trophy is worth.
This is what victory feels like.
The genuine laugh that slips from Tobio's lips, breath tickling his neck that makes him shiver more than the conditioning of this four-walled establishment they stand on, it brings back the erupting cheers, even from the enemies' side, even from the people behind the camera's and microphones, and Kei breathes in and out, clutching the soft locks around his fingertips, just like the lips he wraps around his.
Tobio makes a sound of surprise but he didn't have a chance to react before Kei slips away and settles their foreheads besides each other, eyes closed just to feel and feel, and pay all of his attention to the chuckle that Tobio huffs from the scene in front of him.
"We won." Tobio simply says, with that familiar tone of his that doesn't sound like anything else but standoffish to others but Kei knows it all too well, remembers the days he felt like the former but those naïve days continue to pass, and now Kei lets himself chuckle beside Tobio's ear, kissing it before humming and letting him go.
As easy as breathing, and with the same effortless movement to wake up, looking at his phone to check the time and stretching out his limbs to reach for the body besides his, Kei's gaze reaches far and wide when medals get put around varsities to the very bottom of multiple souls for this one sport, until that longing is grasped, as it always has been, and will continue to be, when Kei steps down those stairs once again and gets a hold of Tobio's hand.
And so their clasped fingertips reach the skies as they raise it for everyone to see, all the same, but will once again be forevermore.
"We won."
if you'd like to support me on ao3 as well, this is the link for this fic <3 !
still can't get over the fact that tsukikage has an inch(es) difference in height as 3rd years like. you're telling me that's canon? then let me tell you about tobio still needing to lean his head a little when kissing kei who's a lil bitch about it and teases him. tobio punches him in the arm and doesn't initiate kisses for a while until kei barged into tobio's house when he was alone and just silently dropped to his knees infront of a just-woke-up-and-is-cooking-breakfast-in-the-kitchen tobio
