Hi! Since you didn’t specify an AU, I’ll go with Chef/Critic AU and Youtuber AU! If you forgot to mention an AU and you wanted something different, feel free to send the ask again! :) Some of the headcanons are under the read more.
Send me an AU and a pairing and I’ll come up with a few headcanons! (no omageverse pls, and if you send more than one AU/pairing specify if you want me to combine them or do them separately, please)
- so Tsukki is food critic, very respected and kinda feared because his opinion means A LOT and he’s pretty hard to please. Besides he rarely smiles (or - rarely smiles an honest smile) and looks really mean and this, mixed with his brutal honesty, gives him an image of rather cold and almost heartless man
- Kageyama at the other hand is a chef - well known, with kinda messy past (he was very demanding, got angry quickly and one day all the cooks left him in the middle of the evening when a critic was supposed to come), but undeniably excelent in what he’s doing
- one day the restaurant Kags currently works at expects a critic visitation
- the staff is kinda stressed and thrilled
- the critic is infamous Tsukishima Kei
- the staff is very stressed and scared
- Kags isn’t really stressed tho, because he knows he’s good and Tsukishima or not - the critic will be pleased
- the evening of Tsukki’s visitation is very tense for the staff. the dish and then the dessert are made with so so much care…
- then Tsukki requests to see the cook who made the dishes
- all the staff is still very stressed and even Kags is a little tense now
- “Kageyama Tobio. Congratulations for not making anything dissapointing.”
- Tsukki is kinda surprised himself because he swears, almost anyone can’t make an edible dish in this goddamn prefecture and they’re calling themselves chefs???? This Kageyama guy on the contrary cooks really good. And bakes even better, this strawberry cake-
- Tsukki is even ready to compliment Kags, but Kags - now relieved - looks really smug, so Tsukki doesn’t say anything
- he often comes to the restaurant privately tho, because something deep inside him really wants to????
- it’s because of the strawberry cake, he tells himself
- (it’s not. well, not only)
- Kags tbh feels similar??? he feels… lighter??? when Tsukki comes to restaurant??????
- it’s the fact so demanding and known critic likes his dishes so much, he tells himself
- (again - it’s not. well, not only)
- they see each other quite often then, sometimes even talk a little, mostly about food tho, but they include some private info too. accidentaly, but still
- over time they discover they know A LOT of facts about each other
- at one point they decide to “hang out”. to “test some restaurants”. and then Kags invited Tsukki to his flat, because “he’s trying new recipe for the strawberry cake”
- when the evening ends and they both come home they realize that it was a date. more - the date they really enjoyed and clearly - the other enjoyed it too
- the next time they see each other they talk about the date and decide they’ll give it a try
- some people who know they’re dating say that the fact that the restaurant has so good opinions is caused by the fact, that one of the most important critics in Japan and the restaurant’s chef are dating but it’s not true. well, at least not in a way one can think
- Tsukki is still really honest and Kags is really competitive, so every time Tsukki says even one thing could be done better - Kags tries new ways to make sure the thing is perfect
- neither of them looks like he uses a pet names, but they do when in private. it’s hard to say if the names are food related because of their line of work or because it’s just their style. either way no one ever heard one of them calling the other “cupcake” or “pumpkin” and it will stay that way. so they hope.
- Tsukki’s channel is dedicated to movie, TV series and book reviews. he’s so salty and witty he has a lot of subscribers.
- Hinata at the other hand is a gamer (mainly because of his friend Kenma). his reactions and all the “gwaaah!” and “nyoooom!” when he plays granted him quite some subscribers too. he usually plays an adventure games or some horror games because people love his horror games playthroughs and his goal is to make his subscribers happy
- they know about each other because they’re both pretty popular, but they don’t know each other
- not until Tsukki’s fans asked him to review a mystery game. they said they know he doesn’t play, but it has very intriguing plot and maybe he can do a collab with crowthatcanfly????
- Tsukki says no at first, because as the fans noticed - he doesn’t really play any games. so he’s not an expert.
- (besides what kinda name is “crowthatcanfly”???? every crow can fly????? until it’s injured but it’s not “injuredcrowthatcanfly”. what an idiocy)
- but the fans ask him to do this under his every video and Hinata officialy says he wouldn’t mind even if it’s not really his game genre (because the fans ask him for this collab too) so????
- Tsukki finally agrees when his best friend, Yamaguchi, says it can be a nice change of pace. besides he should meet some new people and make some new friends. and he doesn’t want to hear any you-and-Yachi-are-enough’s
- “shut up Yamaguchi”, “sorry, Tsukki, but that’s the truth”
- Tsukki contacts Hinata and they talk about the details
- he knows it will be a nightmare. he watched some Hinata’s videos before he contacted him, and the guy’s so loud and hyperactive… and uses too much exclamation marks and kaomojis. ugh
- they meet up and make the video. they both play the game, Hinata comments on the plot and the mechanics and the graphic and Tsukki discovers the guy isn’t complete idiot??? he’s actually pretty smart if he wants to be?????? tho he still has to help him, because the game is pretty hard and Tsukki has seen and read a lot of detective shows and books, so he kinda knows what to expect.
- the first part of the video has twice as many views as any video of either of them, because it has Tsukki’s snarky remarks and Hinata’s cuteness in it at once??? and they have such a nice and funny dynamics
- (“what? ugh no. just- no.”, said Tsukki. “Tsukishima is kinda rude but he’s a cool guy, so working with him wasn’t bad!!!!!!”, said Hinata)
- they finish playing the game but it’s not over for them.
- the fans want more. Hinata wants more, because he loves making new friends. Yamaguchi wants more, because he knows Tsukki likes Hinata even if he pretends to not to.
- “ugh” - Tsukishima Kei at many points in his life.
- Tsukki discovers he actually likes Hinata’s companion
- maybe even more than he should
- because Hinata is kinda annoying because he’s loud, but he’s also really cheerful and positive in a non-annoying way and has his charm okay?
- they become friends pretty quickly even tho Tsukki won’t admit it out loud. maybe only to Yamaguchi
- (“Tsukki, I’m so proud of you, you actually have a friend besides me and Yachi, I’m so happy-” “shut up Yamaguchi” “sorry, Tsukki”. he’s not sorry)
- (yeah, it was a bad idea, he’ll go to Yachi next time)
- they talk a lot and over time Tsukki realizes he???? likes Hinata??????? more than a friend???????????
- (“waIT A MO MEN T NO WHA T WAI T-”)
- (“omg, Tsukishima-kun, that’s amazing!!!! i’m so happy for you!!!!!!! i’ll help you plan the perfect date!!!! and look at this suit!!!! it will be perfect when you’ll want to propose-”)
- he decides to ignore his crush. it will go away eventually, right?
- it doesn’t. and it’s even worse now because Tsukki is hyper aware of every little thing Hinata does. like the cute way he scrunches up his nose when there’s a really hard part in a game- shut up, Kei.
- one day Hinata looks very nervous and Tsukki is kinda confused. why is Hinata nervous? there’s no way he knows about Tsukki’s crush and feels awkward and doesn’t know how to reject him, there’s no way he could see right through Tsukishima’s normal, annoyed face he keeps up even when he’s freaking inside over (almost) every little thing Hinata does. just. no way
- well, apparently yes way
- except Hinata doesn’t reject him?????? he says he feels the same???????? and that Yamaguchi-kun told him-
- (dammit Yamaguchi, you traitor)
- -and Yachi-san explained that-
- they get together that evening
- (“Yamaguchi, how could you-” “you know how so shut up Tsukki” “sorry Yama- wait”)
- (“Yachi, why?” “how could i not when you two love each other??? you look so adorable together!!!!! and you both like mountains, so i know where to send you for your honeymoon-”)
- (why is he even friends with them?)
- Tsukki indeed had the suit Yachi found and they indeed went to the mountains on their honeymoon, btw