Quality Time
(A ShouMika Story🌸 ~)
FINALLY! THIS HAS BEEN ON MY DRAFTS FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOY! (PS, it took me such a long time since I wasn’t online pretty often and I needed profound words “I think I can call it that?”) Anyways, Read along!
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|Start Date: March 24, 2025|
|Publish Date: May 16, 2025|
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October 5, 2010 👈🏻 (This is the story’s date btw)
It was now midnight. It’s beautiful patterns of the sky illuminates through the night.. along with green and blue’s vibrant colors as it’s mixture, now making it less frightening. The aura, striking Daishou’s eyes, from above within him as he stares into the abyss of the night sky. His vision wasn’t that damp, it wasn’t much of a distraction either.. but for him, it was just right. As his stare deepened through a course of his peripheral vision, only can he recognize it’s beauty from above, and above remained more spectacular things that even he can’t resist. As his staring, suddenly got replaced with a loud yelp.. escaping through his lips—Daishou shifted his attention to the door, as there appeared the sound that made him startled… As his canal tried it’s best to reach and search for an answer, a familiar tapping sound occurred, and he immediately recognized the sound itself. Footsteps, and it’s volume increased—getting louder whence the previous step receded.
The air was crisp, and Daishou’s eyes flickered momentarily toward the door. The tapping grew louder, a steady rhythm, like the heartbeat of the night itself. As his focus shifted, the first silhouette emerged, cutting through the night’s calm with an unmistakable energy. Mika-chan.
Her presence was like a whisper of warmth in the cool midnight air. She stepped inside, her expression soft, eyes gentle, yet brimming with curiosity. Without missing a beat, she walked over, her movements almost fluid, and as Daishou’s gaze met hers, she smiled, that mischievous glint in her eyes always managed to put him at ease—at least, in that moment.
And before he could say anything, her lips brushed against his cheek, a light kiss, playful, yet full of affection. His heart skipped, his cheeks flushing bright red as he quickly looked away, feeling the heat spread across his face.
“Mika-chan!” he stammered, unable to suppress his surprised laughter.
She tilted her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she reached up, brushing a lock of his dark hair away from his eyes. “What? I missed you,” she teased, sitting down next to him on the window seat, where he’d been lost in the vast expanse of the sky just moments ago. Her playful tone was like a balm, easing the tension that had been creeping up on him all evening.
Daishou, still caught in the remnants of his embarrassment, managed to look at her after a few seconds. “What are you doing here so late?”
Mika chuckled softly, settling in beside him. Her fingers idly traced the edge of his hoodie. “I figured you could use some company. You’ve been distant lately. You know, volleyball practice hasn’t been the same without you.”
He sighed, letting his shoulders drop slightly. “Yeah… I know,” he murmured, his voice low. The mention of volleyball made his chest tighten, reminding him of the crushing defeat they had suffered at the hands of Nekoma. The loss hadn’t just been about the game—it had hit harder because of Kuroo Tetsuro, the captain of Nekoma. They had a… history, a rivalry that had only intensified over the years.
Mika noticed the change in his mood immediately. She scooted closer, her warmth making the night air seem less biting. “You’re thinking about the match, aren’t you?” she asked, her voice soft and understanding.
Daishou nodded slowly, his gaze drifting to the floor. “It was humiliating. We lost… to Kuroo’s team. It’s not just the loss—it’s him. He’s always been one step ahead. Every time.”
She sighed, her fingers lightly brushing against his arm, a small but comforting gesture. “Daishou, you can’t let him get into your head. You’re a great captain. You led Nohebi to where they are, and you fought hard—don’t forget that.”
Daishou’s lips tightened, and he turned his eyes toward her, shaking his head slightly. “It’s not enough. It never feels like it’s enough.” He paused for a moment, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t think I can keep going.”
Mika’s heart sank at his words. She could feel the weight of his frustration, the crushing pressure of being the captain of a team that had so much potential but still couldn’t seem to overcome their rivals. But what hit her harder was the sense of defeat in his eyes.
“No,” she said firmly, her hand gently cupping his face, turning him toward her. “You can’t give up. I know you, Daishou. You’re not someone who backs down from a challenge.”
He stared at her, a flicker of doubt still clouding his expression. “But I’m tired, Mika. I’m so tired of fighting and not being enough.”
She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “You’re not ‘not enough.’ You’re more than enough. But you have to remember why you started in the first place.”
Her words settled over him like a comforting weight, pulling him back from the dark edge of his thoughts. Still, the sadness lingered in his eyes, the weight of the loss heavy on his shoulders. His lips parted, but before he could say anything, Mika’s hands shifted from his face to his sides.
Without warning, her fingers began to dance along his ribs, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
“W-Wait!” Daishou yelped, his body jerking slightly as the unexpected tickling sensation sent a wave of laughter through him. “M-Mika, stop—hahaha!”
Mika was relentless, her fingers expertly finding every sensitive spot as Daishou’s laughter grew louder and more hysterical. He tried to push her hands away, but the laughter only intensified as his body wriggled beneath her playful assault. The tears welled in his eyes as he gasped for breath between his uncontrollable giggles.
“P-Please!” he begged between fits of laughter. “Mika, I can’t—hahaha—breathe!”
She giggled along with him, clearly enjoying the rare moment of lightness. “You’re so cute when you laugh like that,” she teased, keeping up her ticklish assault. “Just admit it—you needed this.”
He was a mess, his face flushed, his body shaking with laughter as the tickling continued for what felt like an eternity. But amidst the chaos, he realized that Mika wasn’t just trying to make him laugh—she was trying to pull him out of his slump, to remind him of the joy that still existed in life, even in the aftermath of a defeat.
“P-PLEAHEHEHEHEHESE! GEHAHAHAHAH!” He totally lost it as he tumbled, twisted, and turned with all his might, not wanting to admit his so-called cuteness. “I WOHOHOHOHONT ADMIT!”
Mika sighed but her finger quickly dashed and danced around his stomach, giggling mischievously. “Aww, won’t admit? Then let’s continue this playful charade of ours, shall we?”
“YOUHOHOHOHOUR MEAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEAN!”
Finally, after what felt like twelve minutes of pure hysteria, Mika relented, her fingers stopping, leaving Daishou gasping for air, a mix of exhaustion and relief flooding his chest. His cheeks were still flushed, and he looked at her, his eyes still sparkling from the laughter.
“You’re terrible, Mika-chan. Terrible I say,” he said between breaths, his voice full of affection despite the teasing tone.
Mika smiled, brushing a stray hair from his forehead. “I know. But you needed it.”
He smiled back, the heaviness in his heart starting to lift, and for a moment, the pressure that had been weighing on him seemed a little less daunting. Maybe he didn’t have all the answers. Maybe he didn’t have to be perfect. But with Mika by his side, maybe he could keep fighting—at least for one more day.
“Thanks, Mika,” he said softly, his voice sincere. “I needed that more than you know.”
Her eyes softened, and she leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “I’m always here for you, Daishou. Don’t ever forget that.”
He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I won’t.”
And in that quiet moment, they both knew—whatever came next, they’d face it together. Even as the night grew colder, their warmth lingered, wrapped in the unspoken bond that held them both in that small space between the ticking of the clock and the infinite stretch of the sky outside.