˗ˏˋ can you blame me 🎐 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖
⁀➴ sum. student rivals from the start, you two never got along. every test, every elective, you knew every small thing to make each other tic. this time, you have one in common – your ex boyfriend. (ft. kei tsukishima + iwaizumi hajime)
⁀➴ wc. 3.4k
⁀➴ warnings. 18+, fem!reader, neuroscience major!tsuki, med student! reader, drinking, weed mention + usage. ⁀➴ art creds: @hunnismokah
kei tsukishima is not your friend. he's very far from it actually. he was just another annoying-ass man from your grad program. another asshole ready to correct you when your answers strayed from fully correct, or even just simply unsure.
but now, him and you were boarding your flight for the annual neuroscience convention your school attended.
being the first and second (respectively) in your class, it was apparent you'd be student ambassadors as soon as it was even mentioned.
of course, he had to one-up you by being the first to volunteer.
and you couldn't have that. so here we are at 4am. in line to board, him behind you – and your fucking delta app wouldn't load. "pfft." he snorted. "you should've just added it to your apple wallet, y'know like a normal person?"
"shut. up. kei." you sighed under your breath, connecting your phone to and from the airport wifi again before finally seeing the pass.
"about damn time." he sneered.
it would be a long trip.
you slept throughout the flight, occasionally waking for refreshments before leaning your head against the window and dozing back off. but as you landed, you began to wake. "god, we're already here?" you said to yourself, mostly.
"and i can't believe you chose to sleep through it, instead of prepare." tsuki said, dryly, not even looking up from his laptop.
"maybe if you actually had a life outside of this shit, you would stop being so uptight about it."
"and maybe if you cared a little more, that-"
the landing announcement had begun. the two of you went silent, pushing your trays up and beginning to adjust your belongings.
out of the corner of your eye, tsuki sucked his teeth and shook his head at you before giving his full attention to his phone.
"pathetic.." he said, beginning to stretch as he stood.
the plane had landed now, and san diego wasn't that far away anymore. "bitch." you muttered under your breath, bumping your shoulder against his as you reached for your bag.
his head whipped around and though your eyes were on your bag, trying to steady it in your hands before putting it on the ground, you could damn near feel his eyes narrowing. "welcome to san diego and thank you for flying with us this morning!" one of the flight attendants chirped. you gave a half smile. it was 5am. there's almost nothing to smile about if there's not a redbull in sight.
"ignore her. you know how mornings are for some people." tsuki laughed, nudging you with his elbow. "you know, i actually hate you?" you mock asked, walking through the terminal at this point.
"oh, the feeling is mutual. i see why that little boyfriend of yours isn't on your profile anymore" your boyfriend. well, ex.
"and why that little girlfriend of yours is.. what? nonexistent? like any grown woman wants to put up with your mouth 24/7." you spat. silence. he didn't turn around but you saw his jaw tense.
it just slipped out. and he'd mentioned your ex first. if hurting his feelings is the price you have to pay to get some silence – maybe it's worth it.
the uber was silent too. tsuki, full of arrogance, was headphones on in his own little world looking at the map as you moved deeper into the city.
"i wouldn't want a girlfriend like you, anyway." he finally says softly, leg bouncing viciously.
"that was never an option."
the driver's eyes dart between the two of you before he turns the music up a few notches.
a sigh escaped your mouth as you slumped lower in your seat, pulling your hoodie down to feel some sense of comfort.
the golden state was gonna hold all the bad memories, ironically, it seems. between being stuck with tsuki for the next four days and your ex-boyfriend, iwaizumi, transferring to school here, nothing was promising.
no, it wasn't that he didn't want to be with you. he couldn't. not when you were across the country at johns hopkins. or at least that's what you told yourself after that second (and last) phone call where he said he couldn't do this anymore. and in his words, he "can't feel that you love him."
the car pulled to the front of some hotel, tall and sleek, across from a baseball stadium, and click, the car doors unlocked. "well.." the driver cleared his throat. "we're here."
your tongue scraped the roof of your mouth as you took in your surroundings.
check-in went by in a blur. tsuki talking to the receptionist, giving both of you a room key before the two of you were in an elevator heading to the eleventh floor, where the room was.
"so your slides aren't finished are they?" tsuki asked.
was this his version of small talk? acting – no, genuinely hating you, and then asking if your priorities were in order.
"why do you care?"
"because i deserve an actual rival, not this half-baked, heartbroken – whatever this is," he looked down at you, adjusting his glasses. "if i knew some breakup could just get you this distracted, i would've just broke your heart myself."
a breath caught in your throat. your lips parted and then pressed together again. your eyes met each other and he raised an eyebrow, expecting a response.
but this time, you didn't have anything. maybe tsuki breaking your heart would've been an easier fate.
the elevator couldn't open fast enough.
"look... my bad." tsuki sighed, pursing his lips.
"yeah, whatever." you grumbled.
standing at the room felt like the longest time ever. "fucking door." tsuki fumbled, attempting to scan the keycard on each side.
eventually, that little light turned green and he pushed the door open with more force than anticipated.
the room was nice. it was elegant in a quiet way. the windows faced the beach, a spacious desk in the corner near a lamp, two beds adjacent to the desk. a balcony, two chairs, and small table.
you made a mental note of another place to sneak off to tonight.
maybe california was getting a little more bearable.
"hm. this is calming." tsuki hummed, a flicker of warmth behind his eyes. you're half sure this is what his apartment back in baltimore looked like.
"yeah, it's nice." you said, striding through the room before placing your bags closest to the bed near the window. he rolled his eyes but didn't debate.
is this his version of an apology? either way, you'll take it.
the air from the ac was crisp. the sun shone through the windows. it's only 2pm. the only thing going on today was optional – some rooftop mixer for panelists and professionals and all of those swanky titles that were a little too old to be in the game. shaky hands of surgeons past their prime.
it was enough to make your eyes roll. plus, unless something drastic has changed, chances are your ex, iwaizumi would be there too.
you unpacked your lime suitcase and changed into some pajamas. between jetlag, tsuki, and a full four-day conference, missing a mixer wouldn't kill you.
the free drinks would be the only thing missed. your internships lined out the door and a resume so long, even google wouldn't read it. who cares.
you huffed as your back collided with the bed. tsuki shot you a look.
"don't you dare," he began. "we have a mixer tonight. this isn't a vacation."
"fuck off." you shot back, popping an edible into your mouth like candy. "i wanna watch my movies in peace tonight."
"what? to all the boys i've loved?" he chuckled. "you're not sitting in here sulking and crying all night."
"he'll be there, you do know that, right?"
"and?"
"i don't want to see the man that moved across the country and left me behind." you stretched, as the words burned the back of your chest.
"man," he snorted. "he couldn't even find the student center when he was on campus. that's your man? i bet he couldn't even find the clit."
"the WHO?" you laughed, shocked that he would even say something like that.
tsuki shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips as he took a drag of the vape he snuck on the plane. "it's true." he huffed.
"enough!" you hollered, an airy, out-of-breath giggle escaping your lips.
"i'll get you a lemon drop if you go." he taunted.
"deal."
the next few hours practically flew by. tsuki lost in his laptop before taking a nap. you scrolling through instagram, avoiding iwaizumi's green story bubble before falling into a dream of your own.
and then tsuki's three alarms – one for 8:15pm, another for 8:45pm, and the last one for 9:00pm. you only had one for 8:30. your eyes groggily opened to tsuki's perfectly made bed and the ties he's debating between strewn out onto the comforter.
"you really need a tie?" you sighed, clicking the power button on your phone to check the time.
9:03pm; 57 minutes until d-day.
"you're not seriously asking that, right?" tsuki half-groaned, looking you up and down out the corner of his eye.
you did know better than to ask. he always shows up dressed to a tee. he never not has. even his airport fit – charcoal grey sweatpants, hopkins pullover, matching headphones.
asking was just force of habit.
iwaizumi always dabbled between a regular tie, a bow, or honestly nothing – even just leaving one or two buttons undone for button-downs. your heart ached thinking of it before your eyes met tsuki's and he turned away.
you hadn't even realized but you'd been staring. the buzz of the edible still there.
"hm?" he hummed, questioning.
"nothing. don't worry about it, kei."
"you're being really fucking weird." tsuki sighed, before turning on his heels and heading to the bathroom. you caught a glimpse of his eyes in the mirror, still studying you.
the same look you've seen him give when the lecture slides start to get a little too complicated. that look that something's not accurate – not right.
you scaled the space between your luggage and the bed, carefully unwrapping the burgundy dress you brought for this event, just in case.
you slipped the dress on before throwing a t-shirt on over it to do your makeup.
you zoned out halfway through. prep done, brows filled, and lashes on. now for the main event.
you had both airpods popped in now, an amalgamation of your liked songs playing in your ears. until justin bieber's flatline kicked in, heavy bass pounding like a warning.
"she became a victim to my busy schedule."
your mind raced as the lyrics sunk deeper.
did iwaizumi ever miss you?
you missed his laugh. the way he'd scrunch his nose when he really laughed.
the absolute mess him and oikawa would make of his room before parties.
tears pricked your eyes at the thought of someone else getting that version of him. silly and loving, but not for you.
"shit." you exhaled, breathless and shaky.
you could feel eyes on you. tsuki sat on the edge of his bed now, adjusting strands of hair to look just the way he'd like. "what now?" he shot back.
you shook your head no but his footsteps felt closer. you tried to cover your face but he met your gaze in the vanity looking back at you.
"get a grip." his voice laced with something a little deeper than anger but a little softer than respect.
"iwaizumi's doing his shit right now. do not let your stupid little memories of him hold you back from doing what you gotta do."
he didn’t even blink. just stared you down in the mirror, sizing you up like he could will you back into yourself.
"right. you're so right, tsuki." the words fell out. "now what time is it?" he smirked, a low evil chuckle slipping out. "9:27. i'll leave your ass here if you're not ready by 9:50."
you whined but he just shrugged. "being early is being on time, sweetheart."
the rooftop was mildly packed. music drowned out in the background of voices. everyone looked polished, quiet luxury, but make it nerdy. the faint scent of lavender and vanilla wafted around you.
"so i do owe you a lemon drop," tsuki leaned into your ear, still looking around. the two of you made your way to the bar and before you knew it, you were being pulled away by advisors and researchers alike, talking about neurons and plasticity and some new "groundbreaking" research.
you spot tsuki across the room, laughing with some researchers from your undergraduate alma mater. he notices you staring and rolls his eyes before he points towards his phone.
ding, a text from him
"shouldn't you be, idk, mixing?"
"sorry, just didn't know you were an ass kisser"
"i'm glad you came." your advisor admits, as she puts a hand on your shoulder. "we need more talent like you in the field. passionate, dedicated – i'm excited to see what you do later down the line."
"thank you." you smile, taking another sip from your cocktail glass. your fingertips felt cold against the smooth glass and yet somehow your palms were warm, sweaty.
"go. enjoy yourself." she shoos you away proudly, and you make your way to one of the benches in the far corner, overlooking the city.
the warmth of the drink filled your chest and for the first time in what felt like a long time, you could actually breathe.
the skyline looked beautiful. fairy lights twinkled around you. the city didn't feel so painful anymore. it felt endless, like you were meant to be here.
a smile tugs on your lips as you catch tsuki leaned against the glass panel of the railing further down, smirking. his hands are in his pockets and then he glances over to you again, looking at you reflectively.
and then you see him. messy brown hair, a sage button down with the top two undone, that little gold chain. iwaizumi.
some girl had her hand on his chest.
he had seen you, face dropping slightly before getting back to his conversation.
your heart dropped. it felt like someone was sitting on your chest. like it had dropped the same amount of floors available. somewhere on the ground level, your heart was there. you were half sure it was scampering around in the lobby while everything around you crumbled.
your fingers gripped around your glass now, unsure of if letting go is something you're even capable of. a silent gasp caught in your throat.
"no. no fucking way." you muttered to yourself, eyes widening as he made his way over... with that girl.
the chances of seeing him tonight were supposed to be low. you'd done the stats in your head when tsuki offered the lemon drop. it was 1 (or 2) in 350, according to the eventbrite.
the music and the lights surrounding you felt dim and so far away. you'd placed your glass on the table in front of you without even realizing.
you couldn't see it now, but tsuki wasn't smirking anymore. his eyes were sharp, steady on you. he stood straighter now, faltering to come over after pushing himself off the railing.
he was in disbelief. the same shock you had. no way he was making his way over with some girl that wasn't you, her touching him the same way you would.
"hey." iwaizumi said, smiling coyly. it felt more like guilt than shyness. he'd never been an introvert.
"hey." you mirrored, unsure of there were any appropriate words in your heart for this interaction.
"what's up?" tsuki said, now behind you with a steady hand on the small of your back. his hands were cold but they radiated all over, backless dress be damned.
his eyes flickered between you, iwaizumi, and the girl. he smiled politely, aware of the company.
"yeah.." iwazumi cleared his throat. "just introducing my pretty girl to some of my old friends."
"doesn't look like there's much to introduce." tsuki chuckled, running his other hand through his hair.
"you sure?" your voice came out hoarse as you elbowed tsuki in the ribs. she chuckled, but nothing was funny.
"mmm, still a diva." iwaizumi said, mostly to tsuki. at this point, tsuki was the only thing grounding you. the only other options would be to actually float away or to punch him in the mouth.
no way he actually just said that. i'm the diva? and not the person who wanted a "change of scenery" and didn't just mean a different research program.
her eyes darted between you and iwaizumi, analyzing. "you're such an asshole, iwa," she giggled. "nice to meet you!" she chirped, sticking her hand out.
a chill crept up your spine. it was over. there was no hope of rekindling, even just feeling the grief and calling you. he had a girlfriend and you hated her. and worse, envied her.
the wind left your chest, you felt the tears start to well, and as much as you hoped they'd fall – they didn't.
instead the words "nice meeting you" escaped your lips and then you saw him. iwaizumi's eyes flickered between you, and the contact tsuki had with your back. patient, steady, drawing little circles as the interaction occurred.
"it's really good seeing you." tsuki said, his voice low.
his hands moved mindlessly – up your back, your neck, a subtle tuck of your hair behind your ear.
the contact felt normal, natural even – until he noticed. he didn't need to say it. his touch already did that.
it wasn't obvious, but enough to say "she's not yours anymore."
maybe it was the lemon drop or maybe just the tension building in your stomach.
fine. let him move on. maybe you would too.
the interaction ended there with iwaizumi being pulled away by some peers. tsuki's hand rested on your back as the two of you made your way to the bar.
"i fucking hate him." tsuki said, voice sharp and gravelly.
"me too." you said, the air in your lungs finally free.
the server had delivered your drinks and the liquor went down like water. your mouth was flowing now.
"y'know, he's actually a fucking cunt. and not like how you are." you chuckled.
tsuki snorted. "really? and what's exactly the difference?"
"at least you're honest. and you're hot in a brooding way. a way that says i understand you, not some surface-level frat boy shit." you rambled, gesturing with your wine glass swaying.
he scoffed, jaw slack before a giggle escaped his lips.
"you're fucking drunk," he cackled, shaking his head in disbelief.
"fuck you!" you shrieked. "but, you do get what i mean, right?"
"mhm," he took another sip of his drink. "so you're calling me emotionally mature?"
"and capable of feeling something deeper than a kiddie pool," you snorted.
tsuki's eyes dropped to your lips before he turned away for a moment, looking around the room at everyone still mingling, talking about god knows what.
your skin buzzed like static, radiating everywhere, and too much to be contained. heat rushed to your cheeks like a second drink hitting to fast.
"let's go." you rambled, hand finding tsuki's. his gaze snapped back to yours the second your fingers curled into his.
the two of you found your way to the elevator in what felt like a hurry. silence in the hallway as the music played sounding further away.
the doors shut and tsuki leaned past you to press the 11 button and the scent of his cologne pushed past your face – sharp, clean, and far too distracting.
"sorry if i said too much at the-,"
"shut up," he said.
you barely had time to blink before his lips were on yours. your hands slipped into the soft curls at his nape, the other curling into his tie.
a soft moan slipped from lips as your back met the cool elevator wall.
"man fuck him. and his girl. i've got the prettiest one in here."
tsuki's voice was low, raspy, and hot against your skin, just before he kissed right under your ear, trailing down your neck.
the elevator dinged.
your floor.
his tie was still in your fist. the two of you stood, breathless, looking at one another. you peeked out into the hallway, scanning your surroundings.
"come on."
tsuki's eyes darkened. his grip on your hand tightened as he began to lead you toward the room. the hallway blurred around you.
kei tsukishima was not your friend but maybe something a little bit more now.
© callmeakaashi / keistriction 2025 ─ do not plagiarize, translate, or feed to ai
