Tsukishima grows his hair out a little during their 2nd year and dyes the ends at the start of the summer between 2nd and 3rd year and Kageyama has a gay crisis.
He's so sure he’ll be over it when Tsukishima cuts the ends off before 3rd year starts, but he still feels the same way. He has this weird empty feeling after meeting up with Yamaguchi to strategize.
Tsukishima always hangs back to walk home with Yamaguchi, and Kageyama always watches them leave.
With Tsukishima in his hair experimentation era, there is a krsn5 sleepover night where Yachi convinces Tsukishima to let her straighten his hair.
At this point, Kageyama is pretty sure what his feelings for Tsukishima are, which only makes it worse.
Tsukishima is sitting on the edge of Yachi’s bathtub while she stands in front of him with the smallest hair straightener Kageyama's ever seen.
Yamaguchi and Hinata are… somewhere, unbothered, disinterested. If Kageyama could hear anything other than the click and hum of the straightener and Tsukishima’s quiet questions he might realize they're watching a loud action movie in the living room.
Somehow Tsukishima's surprisingly gentle “This won't burn me right?” rings clear in Kageyama's ears over the excessive explosions and yelling from the other room.
Yachi says something that Kageyama can't really hear, but Tsukishima looks relieved so he guesses it was good. She says something else and he smiles at her, a genuine smile that spreads across his face, a rare sight that’s already burying itself in Kageyama's memory by the time it turns into a laugh.
She asks something, he nods and suddenly he’s taking his glasses off. He stretches back and Kageyama stares at a bead of sweat that goes from his ear down his jawline.
The hum in Kageyama's ears gets louder.
Yachi turns to put his glasses on the counter, which is when she spots Kageyama. She gasps exaggeratedly and says no one can see Tsukishima until his hair is done.
Tsukishima sits up, looks around Yachi and sees Kageyama sitting at the table. He sticks his tongue out at him. Tsukishima’s whole mouth is stupidly pink from the strawberry candy Yachi bribed him with.
Kageyama wants to punch him.
Kageyama wants to kiss him.
Yachi closes the bathroom door.
The lock clicks, freeing Kageyama from whatever spell Tsukishima seems to have him under, Kageyama sighs, slumping into the table and closing his eyes. His stomach churns.
He isn’t sure how long he’s been sitting there when the door opens again. He only catches a glance at Tsukishima before it closes behind Yachi. Tsukishima has bangs, somehow. They’re clunky and uneven and Kageyama should think they’re ugly. But they aren’t. (He shouldn't feel this way about Tsukishima. But he does.)
“Did you bring the cream?” Yachi asks Yamaguchi as she walks into the living room with a fine tooth comb in her hand.
Yamaguchi nods. He gets up to grab it from his bag as Hinata asks “Styling cream?”
“For Tsukishima-kun’s hair,” Yachi answers.
Hinata frowns, tilting his head. “You planned this in advance?”
Yamaguchi nods, standing up with the jar in his hand. “Here.”
“Thanks!” Yachi says as she takes it from him.
She’s about to leave when Hinata grabs her wrist. “Explain.”
“What you’re doing,” Hinata says with a pointed look at Kageyama, who’s back to being slumped on the table now that the door is closed again.
Yamaguchi and Yachi lock eyes. Yachi’s lips turn into a thin line and Yamaguchi glances at Hinata with a frown.
Seemingly understanding something Hinata can’t see, Yachi uses the handle of the thin comb to jab Hinata’s hand, freeing herself and running off.
“What the hell!” Hinata would chase her but the door is locked again in the blink of an eye. “What are you two doing?!?!” He’s yelling but he sinks back into the couch, rubbing the sore part of his hand with a pout.
Yamaguchi shrugs. “I think you know.”
They both look between Kageyama and the locked door.
“Maybe,” Hinata grumbles as he refocuses on his hand.
Kageyama is still sulking over all this when Yachi pops out of the bathroom again. She stands in the doorframe and somehow Kageyama can’t see Tsukishima at all. “Time for the grand reveal!” she shouts, cheerily clapping her hands together. “go to the living room!”
So Kageyama does. His ears are still buzzing even though the straightener is definitely off. He can hear two pairs of footsteps behind him, but he has a feeling if he tries to turn around Yachi will knock his knees out from under him.
“Close your eyes!” she shouts as Kageyama enters the living room. Yamaguchi and Hinata both listen, and in his nerves Kageyama does too. He stumbles into the couch, falling into Hinata, who shoves him away.
“No fighting with your eyes closed!” Tsukishima scolds, though its pretty clear he’s trying not to laugh.
“Open them!” Yachi says a few moments later, once Kageyama is finally settled. Tsukishima’s hair is parted over his eye and brushed back. It would be formal aside from the ends, which still curve forward, not fully straightened but held in place with cream.
“Wow! You look great, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi says as Yachi sits next to him.
“Shut up Yamaguchi,” Tsukishima replies, though his cheeks turn pink.
Before Yamaguchi can apologize, Hinata blurts “You look so different!”
“I feel like I need a haircut,” Tsukishima says drily, but the smallest smile makes its way onto his face. Kageyama can see it clearly.
Hinata snaps his fingers. “That’s it! It’s longer!”
“That happens when you straighten it,” Yamaguchi says.
“You should straighten Yamaguchi’s hair!” Hinata shouts.
“It’s already straight,” Yachi says with a slight tilt of her head.
“How about yours?” Yamaguchi says, running a hand over Hinata's head, flattening his hair down and laughing when it springs back up immediately.
“We totally could! but,” Yachi turns to Yamaguchi with puppy eyes. “Hinata's hair is too long for me to style well.”
“Hey! Why can’t I style it?” Hinata protests.
Hinatas eyes widen. “Hine,” he grumbles. “Please help me, Yamaguchi.”
“sure!” Yamaguchi says brightly. The three of them disappear.
By the time Kageyama realizes what just happened, Tsukishima is sitting next to him, /Too close./
Tsukishima huffs. “No comment from the king?” he jokes as he turns the TV back on. “Figures.”
Tsukishima looks at him out of the corner of his eye and Kageyama freezes, tongue feeling like lead in his mouth. “You-“
“Take your time,” Tsukishima says, muting the TV. His voice is flat but he’s smirking. He doesn't look malicious though, just amused. Kageyama blames the sudden glow Tsukishima seems to have on the new hair.
Kageyama closes his eyes again. “You look really nice.”
No response. /Huh?/ There’s no TV noise either.
Kageyama opens one eye, slamming it shut when he sees Tsukishima looking at him with parted lips.
“Huh?” Kageyama’s eyes open without him thinking.
Tsukishima shrugs, turning back to the TV. “I thought with all the staring you did before you’d have more to say.”
Kageyama does some more staring, now at a small lock of hair that curls above Tsukishima’s ear. He wants to reach out and pinch it between his fingers. “The bangs looked stupid.”
Tsukishima turns so fast Kageyama is surprised his glasses stay on. “what?”
“The bangs you had before it was styled. They looked stupid. It's much better now.”
Tsukishima shoves him, but they're both smiling. “You’re the worst.”
“I just complimented you!”
And that gets Tsukishima to laugh. Eyes closed, big gummy smile, ugly laugh. It’s beautiful. It makes Kageyama laugh too.
“I guess you did,” Tsukishima replies once he finally calms down. “Thanks, king.”
There’s a shout of “close your eyes!” before Kageyama can reply.
So they do. And when they open them Hinata looks really different too. He looks good, but it doesn’t make Kageyama’s stomach flip.
“Who are you and what did you do to Hinata?” Tsukishima jokes.
Hinata manages a horrified face. “How did you know i’ve been replaced?”
Yachi makes a spooky ghost noise and Tsukishima laughs again. It's quieter this time, but Kageyama can’t help the grin on his face.
Yamaguchi and Hinata lock eyes.
‘You know now?’ Yamaguchi mouths at him.
The next morning Kageyama wakes up to some clanging in the kitchen. “We’re fine!” Yamaguchi shouts.
If Kageyama was more than half awake, he’d go help his friends. As is, his mind has decided to focus all of his attention on the blond asleep next to him.
/It’s curly again,/ he thinks.
Apparently that’s the only thought Kageyama is capable of because the next thing he knows, Tsukishima has grabbed his wrist. It might be his fault for reaching out and running his fingers through Tsukishima’s hair, but how the hell is Tsukishima doing this without waking up?
Kageyama sits up to try to slip his arm out of Tsukishima’s grip, but he’s holding on tight.
Tsukishima pushes Kageyama’s hand away.
Kageyama’s heart rate drops the slightest bit, only to double when he realizes Tsukishima isnt letting go.
The sleeping Tsukishima pulls Kageyama’s hand next to his head and nuzzles his cheek into it. He finally lets go, but there's no way Kageyama can free himself now (read: it would be very easy but he doesn’t want to). He lays back down carefully, doing his best to keep his arm still.
Kageyama does well. Tsukishima doesn’t wake up, but he’s much more of a nuisance asleep than he is when he’s awake. The sleeping Tsukishima seems to have a Kageyama-related sixth sense, because when Kageyama settles back into the blankets Tsukishima gets closer, a lot closer. he rolls in so his head rests on Kageyama’s upper arm, and he pulls Kageyama’s blanket onto himself, forcing Kageyama to come closer or freeze.
Kageyama finds that he doesn’t mind.
Tsukishima frowns in his sleep, putting a hand on Kageyama's shoulder like he’s looking for something.
Kageyama puts his free hand on Tsukishima’s cheek.
Tsukishima’s face relaxes.
Kageyama’s heart finally settles. He knows he can never have Tsukishima but he figures having this moment is more than okay. His eyelids feel heavy. He falls asleep with his fingertips brushing against blond curls.
CONTEXT: Kageyama is under the impression that tkym are together. (They aren’t.)
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