Dec 29, 2021
tsukiten pocky game commission for @/imeita_3 (on instagram)
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from Russia
seen from Canada
seen from Germany
seen from Malaysia
seen from Türkiye
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Togo
seen from Malaysia
tsukiten pocky game commission for @/imeita_3 (on instagram)
Tsukishima x Tendo
Hyper Projection Play "Haikyu!!" The Strongest Team
hil this is pepper but i was too lazy to log in: can i ask about the steps of infatuation and tsukiten eventually??
hi pepper~ \(^o^)/
The steps of infatuation is BokuKono, and it was largely inspired by Konoha’s current concern: He's started to get the feeling that if you look at Bokuto's stupidity from a slightly different angle it's actually kinda genius and that pisses him off.
The brain of Bokuto Koutaro is a mystery.
Some days Konoha Akinori even wonders if itreally exists or not – but to establish this fact, he would need to open Bokuto’sskull and look at the inside which is, without doubt, out of the question.
“It’s like Schrodinger’s cat,” he comments oneday.
“What is?” Akaashi asks back, slanted eyes notshowing a spec of interest.
“If you ask me like this it feels like youasked out of courtesy,” Konoha says.
“I did,” Akaashi confirms, dropping anothercleaned ball into the container. “But since we have nothing better to do, I canlend you an ear if you need it, Konoha-san.”
Eventually is a TsukiTen story I haven’t updated since January 2017, but the next chapter is 80% done. Here’s a snippet from Chapter 4:
Down in the cafeteria,Semi plops down in a chair in the far end, where the least number of studentscan hear them. Tendou sits right in front of him, scooting as close aspossible. Semi swallows his comments on personal space, readying himself forthe anecdote.
“Wakatoshi-kun says hehas no interest in love,” it starts.
“I’m surprised you eventhought about talking to Ushijima about love.”
“Well, he is so damnapproachable,” Tendou says, “sometimes I forget that he has the emotionalintelligence of a newborn child!”
Thanks for asking!^^
Pick out the title of the WIP that most intrigues you and I’ll post a little snippet of it or tell you something about it!!
sacred image.jpg
Eventually (Tsukishima x Tendou) part 3
Fandom: Haikyuu! Relationship: Tsukishima Kei / Tendou Satori Rating: Teen and up
Description: Tendou Satori has taken a liking to Tsukishima Kei. It’s time for their long-awaited first date.
Read on AO3 or under the cut!
Part 1 and Part 2
Part 3: Formal
Sunday is rainy.
Tsukishima looks out of his window and sighs.
Originally, he planned to sleep until noon. For this very purpose, and also because he got extremely hooked on the storyline, he watched a show until dawn. When he finally decided to go to sleep, he was pretty damn sure that he won’t be awake until the afternoon.
Yet, around seven in the morning, just when he was about to turn to his other side and continue sleeping, a sudden thought caught him off-guard.
What if Tendou actually likes him?
Guilt ran through Tsukishima, remembering that painful look on the Shiratorizawa kid’s face the other day. In that half-awake, half-conscious state Tsukishima has decided to go to the date and ever since then, no matter how hard he tries, he can’t sleep back.
He sips the last bit of his coffee and opens his closet with murderous intent.
Tendou is humming softly as he enters the bathroom. The tune is off and changes every now and then, but he continues even while brushing his teeth. He washes his face and cleans his ears carefully; he sprays deodorant all over himself and opens his tin of wax. He runs his fingers through his hair to fix his trademark spiky locks. His hands tremble a bit, so he finishes his hair quickly and washes off the remaining product before his nervousness could properly sink into his head.
After twenty minutes of hopelessly staring at the wall, Tsukishima hates the world. He hates his T-shirts, detests his sweaters, loathes his shirts and despises his coat. He is fine with jeans though.
The jeans stay.
It would bother him to arrive looking sloppy. On the other hand, he could never forgive himself if he dressed up especially for the sake of Tendou.
Confused and frustrated, he sits down in the middle of his room, closet open and clothes untouched. He lays back, only to realize that the floor is too cold for his half-naked body. He gets up furious, grabbing the first ever shirt he finds and pulling it up vigorously.
He is grouchy and restless. The worst possible combination.
While preparing, Tendou never once looks straight into the mirror to catch his own gaze. He is not very keen on his face. He likes his hands though, calloused and rough; a memento of his career as Shiratorizawa’s infamous guess blocker. He buttons up his shirt and pulls on his hoodie, still humming the same tune from the bathroom.
When it comes to blocking (and more recently, flirting), he refuses reason. Just as he jumps on instinct during a match, his gut feeling tells him to get ready and go. He knows it well that the chances of Tsukishima showing up are slim, but he shrugs off all doubts.
He is the Guess Monster, and he didn’t get his name for nothing.
Tsukishima would hate to arrive earlier than Tendou, so he plans to arrive half an hour late. Somehow he is still there 30 minutes before the agreed time, stomping in frustration, standing under some roof, carefully in the cover of a small kiosk’s stall. From there, he can clearly see all the coming and going around the big clock of the station.
Girls dressed up pretty, boys tidied up, fidgety and restless. Some are shivering – Tsukishima is glad he chose to wear a thick sweater even though he only picked it up randomly – some take small running steps to warm themselves up. Most of them have umbrellas, some are less lucky, trying to cover themselves with whatever they have on hand. Tsukishima holds his umbrella out in the rain, so later he can act as if he just arrived to the spot.
Tendou arrives on time, a few minutes early, even. He is holding a big, transparent umbrella above his head. He leisurely walks past the big clock, and turns around on his heels to stop.
From his impromptu hideout Tsukishima can see the guy pretty well. Tendou wears a khaki bomber jacket with a black hoodie and a pair of stone-washed jeans. His impossible red hair sticks up in all angles.
He seems relaxed. He seldom looks at the clock and basically never checks his phone while waiting. 15 minutes pass and Tsukishima receives no calls or LINE messages. Tendou is still very much calm. He doesn’t walk up and down, doesn’t tap his feet impatiently, nor does he shiver from the cold.
Instead, Tendou observes the people passing by, looking at every face with the same, patient curiosity. It seems as if he believes that eventually Tsukishima would turn up.
It annoys the younger boy to the core.
He is hesitant to leave his hideout. He is eager to wait until Tendou’s patience wears off – to see the dejection on his face as he realizes he has to give up –, but some unknown, weird sensation tells him that his plan is futile, because the older kid will simply not bend. He is drawn in by those lazy, calm eyes that scan their surroundings unruffled by the rain, and the cold, and the crowd.
Tsukishima steps out into sight without much of a thought, umbrella unfolding above his head. He catches the exact moment Tendou notices him: he sees the imp-like features tensing up, curious and cautious; the eyes widening, the lips parting slightly, letting out a mute gasp.
Tendou’s face shows not relief, but surprise.
Something churns inside Tsukishima.
Tendou is happy. He looks at the grumpy-annoyed face of Tsukishima, his cold-reddened nose, his slightly fogged up glasses, his little angry huff as he stomps in front of him with the grace of a defeated kindergartener and Tendou melts.
“I told you not to be late,” he greets the boy.
“Yeah,” Tsukishima says. He doesn’t seem to care that he’s late. Tendou doesn’t mind it either. He steps closer and grins at the boy.
“Must have been the traffic. Glad you made it.”
Tsukishima follows Tendou without a comment as he starts walking in the direction of the mall.
“The movies or lunch? Shall we make it both? Are you hungry?” the older boy asks.
“One question at a time please,” Tsukishima grumbles.
“Hungry?” Tendou repeats patiently.
“No.”
“The movies then” smiles Tendou. “You can choose the flavor of the popcorn.”
Tsukishima hums indifferently, trailing Tendou.
“Is there something you want to see?” he asks.
“What makes you think so?”
“If I pick the popcorn, I assume you pick the movie.”
“Clever boy” laughs Tendou. “But you over analyzed.” He walks through the photocell doors, looking left and right to find the closest elevator. “Your deduction is not bad, but it’s based on the logic of equivalent exchange. I let you choose something, and in return I’ll get to pick another. It’s called common sense, isn’t it?” he glances back shortly, catching an annoyed glimpse. “I don’t do that,” he says, pressing the button to call the elevator.
“Yeah, that I noticed,” cuts in Tsukishima.
“I’m taking you out, so today everything is about you. Whatever you fancy, within a reasonable budget, is yours.”
“Gross,” Tsukishima comments, and Tendou… Tendou is smitten. He enters the elevator with a soft laugh, and a terrible urge to hug this foul-mouthed pile of salt. He manages to suppress his impulse, but his smile doesn’t fade away even after they arrive at the floor of the multiplex.
“So, are you perhaps interested in any one of these?” he asks Tsukishima, pointing at the big posters above the ticket box.
Tsukishima looks up lazily. He is not a big film enthusiast, he is more into series, and even though he always knows when a movie he’s interested in is coming out, it’s been some time since they had anything he wanted to watch.
Now he stares at the posters with slight contempt; two action blockbusters in the middle, a chick flick on the right, a horror movie (night screening only) on the left. There are several others listed on one of the monitors, showcasing their titles and screening times. None of the names ring a bell for Tsukishima. He side glances Tendou. The older boy’s eyes are filled with expectation Tsukishima is not willing to meet.
“This,” he points at one of the blockbusters randomly.
“Oh, I want to see that too! The first one was pretty interesting!” Tendou exclaims.
‘Great, it’s a sequel,’ Tsukishima notes to himself, unimpressed. Tendou, on the other hand, seems more and more cheerful, as he gallops toward one of the employees to buy their tickets.
Even if the happy-go-lucky attitude is not contagious, Tsukishima seems to have caught some of it… he looks forward to seeing Tendou’s reactions more than the movie he knows nothing about.
“I want strawberry latte,” he says when Tendou returns with the tickets. “As the flavor of popcorn, I mean.”
The older boy flinches a bit; not enough to call it a grimace, but enough for Tsukishima to notice.
“What will you have?” he asks before realizing he opened his mouth.
Tendou lets out a grin.
“Simple salted,” he says.
“Lame.”
“Says the guy who eats the plastic tasting pink popcorn.”
They spend the time until the movie starts idly chatting, and Tsukishima is grateful for the great conversational skills of Tendou. He feels he could die of awkwardness if their conversation stopped and they ended up standing next to each other, hanging onto their boxes of popcorns with nothing but Tendou's soft and loving gazes in the air.
"Do you like reading?" asks the older boy after Tsukishima unintentionally shuts down another topic within seconds.
"Hm... I read sometimes."
"What genres?" Tendou is not giving up, his enthusiasm is endless.
"Psychological horror, mostly," the younger says. Tendou bursts into laughter.
"Nothing less from the non-average guy!" he comments, and he adds: "All I tend to read is manga, so if you have any recommendations, it’s welcome."
"Hmm,” says Tsukishima, who feels he is inclined to continue the conversation. Finally he adds: “Sometimes I do that too. Manga.”
"You must read those complicated stories, where there is no guide to read the kanji, aren't you?" Tendou mocks him softly.
"Well, I just happen to like the seinen genre the best," Tsukishima snaps. Tendou shakes his head. A flock of his spiked up hair falls to his forehead with the movement. Tsukishima wouldn't have guessed, but his hair is actually quite long, reaching beyond his brows, covering half his eye. He makes a face, quite funny in Tsukishima's opinion, and guides the strand back to its original place.
Tsukishima wonders how he keeps his hair in order during a match. He has never seen a thread of hair out of place before, and compared to his headshake now, Tendou moves around way more during the games.
His gaze, once fixated on the unruly strand of hair, falls slowly to the face of the older boy. He might be watching Tendou too intently now.
He might have found Tendou somewhat attractive.
Not that he would admit it.
"I like the manga in the Jump! Though, I tend to sympathize with the antagonist," Tendou says with a sheepish smile.
"Who would've thought...?” Tsukishima rolls his eyes. It slowly sinks in that he may actually enjoy the company of Tendou Satori.
The third year is outgoing and engaging. Someone he wouldn’t mind being around with.
Tsukishima sinks his head in his popcorn and reconsiders his life choices.
Luckily, he thinks, they don't have to wait for long before the movie starts. His relief is short lived through: his stomach churns awfully the moment the lights go out and he finds himself sitting next to Tendou in the dark.
The first few minutes are fine. There are trailers going on, each of them which they discuss. Compared to Tsukishima, Tendou seems to be less critical and more enthusiastic in general. He laughs openly at the jokes and wows at the special effects like a kid.
When the movie starts his behavior changes rapidly. He gets silent, serious, focusing deeply on the story.
Tsukishima can’t help but find it amusing. He side glances the older boy; he likes the fascination in his eyes. Tendou’s profile is pretty in the dim light of the screen.
Tsukishima drinks his coke vigorously, and, in an attempt to erase his previous thoughts, turns to the movie with extreme focus.
The first few minutes are dark, playing in an urban setting, at night, and they are painfully silent - he can hear Tendou's soft breathing accelerate next to him as the main character, so far only shown from the back, turns at a corner and they get a glimpse of his chiseled chin. Tsukishima focuses on the surroundings, trying to guess which city the story is in. From the narrow, old streets, he guesses some older town in Europe. He is about to guess whether the buildings look more like pictures he saw from the Netherlands or one of the Northern European cities, when suddenly a door slams open in front of the main character and someone opens fire.
The unexpected loud noise makes Tendou jump in his seat and their arms brush together.
"Pfft," smirks Tsukishima. His eyes meet Tendou's for a second, then the older boy looks down and sweeps off a few fallen pieces of popcorn from his lap to the floor.
"I am weak against jump scares," he admits. Tsukishima can see a soft smile playing in the corner of his lips. Tendou is unaware of the amount of attention he gets as he turns back to the movie almost instantly.
Tsukishima, on the other hand, has to force his gaze back to the screen. The faint smell of sweat and deodorant lingers around his nose and sinks under his skin; the sound of soft gasps, short laughs and ugly surprised groans crawl in his ear uninvited.
Tsukishima has known for a while that he was gay –, but he never thought he could get this conscious of someone. He knows he is in danger, so he stuffs himself with plastic tasting pink popcorn in order to hide his imminent blush.
"The parts in Denmark were really interesting," Tendou says as they walk out of the movie theatre.
There is a small indoor garden just by the exit of the cinema, which ends in a panorama terrace to the main hall. There are less people around, compared to the crowded hallways and the shops, so Tendou leads Tsukishima there. A small, happy feeling runs through him as he catches the first year glancing around fascinated. Tendou doesn’t stop until he reaches the terrace, separated by a plastic bar from the two story depth of the main hall. From here they can see the entrance and the big fountain downstairs.
"It's sad that it got so boring once they went back to Manhattan, I was hoping for more action... what do you think?" Tendou asks, turning to Tsukishima.
The boy seems awfully quiet, and even more hostile than before.
"Hm," Tsukishima starts half-heartedly. "There were a lot of plot holes. Especially in the second part."
"Yeah," Tendou agrees, happy that he could engage the boy in a conversation. "And the solution was ridiculous, wasn't it?"
"The girl would've been a much better villain," Tsukishima notes.
"Exactly!"
Pause. Tendou’s voice gets lost in the music and the noise of the people surrounding them, and Tsukishima is late, yet again, to add something to the discussion. Tendou is frantically searching for something to keep the conversation going, something to engage Tsukishima in. As much as he finds the younger boy’s insufferable personality charming, he feels powerless, unable to entertain him.
“You know, you can tell me if I annoy you,” Tendou says finally. “I won’t pester you until the end of the world.”
“This is different from what you said so far,” the first year retorts.
Tendou is reminded of his own petty tactics that has lead them to today’s date and his heart sinks.
“I don’t want you to waste your time on something you don’t want to do,” he says, suppressing a sigh. “There are plenty of unnecessary nuisances in life for me to add one more.”
“That’s actually pretty thoughtful of you,” Tsukishima notes.
“Believe it or not, I am a thoughtful guy,” Tendou remarks, earning a short, bitter laugh from Tsukishima.
An awkward silence falls between them. Tsukishima leans on the plastic railing. He looks at the water raising as high as their eye-level, only to drop back in the clover shaped pool at ground floor, squeezing out little shrieks from a group of toddles.
Tendou would give an arm and a leg to meet the boy’s eyes. Without clear words or eye contact, he feels ominously unwanted.
“You can reject me anytime you know,” he says silently.
Tsukishima raises his head to squint at Tendou.
“While I appreciate the thought, I didn’t find today to be a waste of my time,” he says. His voice, his damn voice doesn’t falter an inch, it is the same matter-of-fact tone as ever. He is so not cute, yet Tendou is so charmed he feels like his heart is about to burst.
“That’s pretty… flattering,” he spurts.
He receives a dark smirk in reply.
“I didn’t mean it to compliment you.”
“So…” Tendou starts slowly, pushing his luck. “If I were to send you messages on LINE, would you not be disgusted?”
“You didn’t even write when I made you wait for half an hour in the rain.”
“I hoped that you would pop up. I had an umbrella anyway,” says Tendou with a smile.
Tsukishima scowls, turning his eyes back to the fountain.
“You know, I can’t bring myself to hate your guts,” he says, pensive.
The message, though unsaid, conveys perfectly to Tendou, who gasps open-mouthed, trying to get his heart to function properly. There is an obvious blush spreading across Tsukishima’s neck and ears and it incites Tendou to express his very first thoughts out loud.
“Cute!” he breathes. Tsukishima sends him a death glare. Its effect is rather lacking, as the first year’s face is red as a ripe tomato, and it doesn’t stop Tendou from squealing an additional “adorable” to his previous remark.
"Fuck you," Tsukishima says.
"… Eventually?" Tendou sneers.
If possible, Tsukishima blushes even deeper.
„You sicko…” he hisses, his eyes widening dangerously behind his glasses. “Bye,” he says abruptly, storming off.
‘Was my teasing too much? Oh well… I suppose this means I can write to him on LINE,’ Tendou thinks, softly snickering. Two girls stare at him as they pass by. He couldn’t care less of others’ opinion. “Such an amusing guy!” he exclaims, throwing his arms in the air as he starts walking in the direction of the station. He can still see Tsukishima’s blonde locks ahead for a while.
‘Eventually, huh?’ he thinks to himself, scratching the crown of his head.
Eventually (TsukiTen) Part 2
Fandom: Haikyuu! Relationship: Tsukishima Kei / Tendou Satori Rating: Teen and up
Description: Tendou Satori has taken a liking to Tsukishima Kei. He wants to secure a date with him at all costs.
None other than Tendou Satori stands by the school gates leisurely freaking out the students around him. He looks like a lizard basking in the sun, leaning on the wall. He wears Shiratorizawa’s uniform, what else would he wear on a weekday, and he looks a little impressive thanks to it. The white jacket makes him look little less like a bag of bones, but he is still all limbs.
‘Think of the devil,’ Tsukishima notes to himself.
Huge thanks again for @brokuro for the help with the beta!^^
Part 2 of a drabble sequence. Read it on AO3 or under the cut! Link to Part 1
It’s Thursday afternoon and Tsukishima is on his way home after practice with Yamaguchi by his side.
They leave the clubroom ahead of the others, walking in silence for a while. This is the time after practice that Yamaguchi uses to think about all of his moves, to correct himself in his head, to evaluate his performance.
Tsukishima envies his friend for his devotion and focus.
Since way earlier, his thoughts have been all about a certain Shiratorizawa third year. With Sunday steadily approaching, Tsukishima’s bad feeling about Tendou’s invitation grows more and more. What could he have meant by “taking him out”? He didn’t ask for Tsukishima’s LINE, number or email. He gave no meeting place or time, just a casual note to Tsukishima to keep his day open. He didn’t seem serious at all.
Naturally, Tsukishima refused. However the taste of utter annoyance still lingers, keeping him on the edge. What was that, really? A new kind of play? Mocking? A way to confuse a rival?
Not that Tsukishima would ever consider himself a rival of Tendou Satori. Their philosophy of blocking is way too different. The ‘Guess Monster’s performance is way too inconsistent for Tsukishima’s taste. A good, systematic read block is much better than running around and jumping on instinct…
“Tsukki, look!” Yamaguchi calls suddenly, bumping his hand into Tsukishima’s shoulder to make him stop.
Tsukishima looks up, pushing his glasses in place. None other than Tendou Satori stands by the school gates leisurely freaking out the students around him. He looks like a lizard basking in the sun, leaning on the wall. He wears Shiratorizawa’s uniform, what else would he wear on a weekday, and he looks a little impressive thanks to it. The white jacket makes him look little less like a bag of bones, but he is still all limbs.
‘Think of the devil,’ Tsukishima notes to himself.
As their eyes meet, a quick smile appears and disappears on Tendou’s face, like lightning in the night. Tsukishima makes a disgruntled expression. Tendou notices this, and his eyes glint with amusement.
“Hello Tchkishima-kun and Pinch Server-kun!” he says cheerfully upon spotting the duo.
Yamaguchi nods shortly. He has to have a sixth sense to feel whenever there is something going on between Tsukki and a third party, because he immediately pulls back, standing half a step behind his friend, waiting silently for any development.
“Miracle Boy-san” Tsukishima greets. Tendou’s smile materializes again, this time in the form of a creepy wide grin.
Tsukishima can feel his stomach turn with a bad premonition.
Tendou is not willing to beat around the bush once he made his mind up to act. He walks past the front gates, stopping right in front of Tsukishima, so close that the boy can feel a soft huff of air Tendou lets out before he starts talking. He aims his words at Yamaguchi above Tsukishima’s shoulder.
“Pinch Server-kun, would you mind if I borrow Tchkishima-kun? It might take a while, so you could as well go ahead by yourself.”
“Tsukki?” asks Yamaguchi. He is not asking for permission to leave or to stay. His tone is casual, as if he just asked Tsukishima’s opinion on a new pair of socks in the sportswear department of a store. He simply asks whether Tsukishima needs someone by his side, in case he needs support or a buddy to fight along with. It’s a whole new concept he has developed during the training camp: he no longer places himself under Tsukishima, he is no longer apologetic or yielding. Tsukishima likes this Yamaguchi better; he feels like they are finally on equal footing in their friendship.
“Hmm,” hums Tsukishima, contemplating his choices. He has a pest he wants to get rid of. He knows how to deal with girls coming up to confess to him, but Tendou, this guy is of a different caliber. His best efforts might not work on this fellow. “Alright,” he says, more to Yamaguchi than to Tendou.
His friend nods in agreement.
Tendou, on the other hand, smiles like a lazy, contented cat. Tsukishima feels the urge to plant his hand on his face to cover his disagreeable expression.
“Alright, then see you tomorrow!” Yamaguchi says. “If you need something just give me a call,” he adds waving goodbye as he darts ahead.
“Your little sidekick is not as clingy as I thought,” Tendou remarks once Yamaguchi is out of earshot.
“’My little sidekick’ is a person of his own,” Tsukishima retorts.
“I wondered whether it was something more,” continues Tendou. “An admirer, a follower, maybe a lover…” he ponders mischievously.
“A friend,” Tsukishima corrects. “Though the concept might be strange to you.”
“Non, non. I do have friends.” Tendou argues, leaning in and turning his head upwards to meet Tsukishima’s eyes.
“So, what do you want?” asks Tsukishima.
“Maybe another friend. Maybe something else,” says Tendou lightly, as he starts walking out of the school. He stops after a few steps, turning in an unbelievable angle to face him again. “Care for a walk, Tchkishima-kun?”
“It’s Tsukishima.”
“As you wish,” nods Tendou contently as Tsukishima catches up to match his pace.
Here they are. They walk. Side by side, not too closely, but way closer than Tsukishima has ever imagined to walk from Shiratorizawa’s guess blocker.
Tendou talks. He is surprisingly talkative, and a somewhat amusing speaker: the way he uses his funny intonations, his sing-song voice and body language makes the stories he tells vivid and lively. He seems to be a natural chatterer, something Tsukishima has never imagined. He is engrossed in the conversation, even though he is mostly listening. He gives out his phone number and LINE contact without noticing. Tendou is snarky, and his sense of humor is dark, but he says nothing but good about his team and their famously rigorous coach. Tsukishima can tell by the way Tendou speaks that he loves all of them. It ignites something within him, a funny little warmth starts growing in the pit of his stomach. He enjoys the company of Tendou. Not that he would admit it.
“Are you hungry?” asks Tendou suddenly, right after he finished a story about Shirabu and Semi, their two setters. “There is a burger place ahead on this road, where they make ridiculously good barbecue shrimp sandwiches!”
“I’m not very keen on burgers,” Tsukishima grimaces.
“Sweets, then! Come on. It’s on me?” the older guy offers, voice teasing.
“I’m not hungry,” Tsukishima replies.
“Well, I am,” Tendou decides, strolling across the street and planting himself into the doorway of a pretty frilly coffee shop. “And here we go.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m not often, but this time, yes I am,” Tendou smiles. “Don’t be shy, come over or I will wait for you at school tomorrow as well.”
The threat works. Tsukishima marches across, movements stiff and face hard as concrete. There is something in Tendou’s expression for a moment as their eyes meet, something sour. As if he was in pain, as if the thought that he can only make Tsukishima comply if he uses threats that would hurt him. There is something in his expression that makes Tsukishima’s stomach churn.
They enter the shop, much to the small waitress’ surprise; two boys well over 180cm with no girls to accompany. The shop is way too girly for Tsukishima’s taste, with its floral wallpaper and tiny pink tables. He feels ridiculously out of place. Tendou, on the other side, seems relaxed, gesturing for Tsukishima to take a seat in a secluded corner. The boy follows his lead reluctantly.
“So? What would you like?” Tendou asks, spinning the menu between his fingers.
“Nothing,” Tsukishima says.
“It’s not an answer I’d accept, I’m inviting you after all. If you can’t decide, then I will choose something for you…”
“I…” cuts in Tsukishima, only to be hushed by Tendou.
“I insist,” he says, sly smile on his face. Tsukishima casts his gaze down to the menu. His index runs through the list of cakes. There is barely a thing below a thousand yen on the menu, and he has already exhausted his monthly pocket money. Tendou, as if he were reading his mind, says: “Don’t look at the prices, it’s on me.”
Tsukishima glances up, one brow raised. Tendou nods.
“Then, a strawberry shortcake,” Tsukishima says. He wears a dispassionate expression, yet the tips of his ears are dusted with pink.
Tendou looks astonished for a split second before his face reverts back to its original. He finds Tsukishima adorable. He feels an immense urge to pick on him, but he dulls his impulse in order to win him over. His brain meticulously calculates his next step. His brain, simultaneously, screams nonstop.
“Alright,” he nods, calm pretense lulling his voice smooth. “We would like to have a strawberry shortcake, a vanilla crepe with chocolate ice cream and two glasses of water, please,” he gives their order to the tiny waitress. “Anything else?” he turns back to Tsukishima.
The boy shakes his head.
“I still don’t know why we’re here, Tendou-san,” he says once the waitress walks away.
“You can call me Satori. We’re here to establish the foundations of a wonderful relationship,” replies Tendou with his trademark eerie smile.
“I don’t understand you, Tendou-san.”
“Sometimes I don’t understand myself either, but I thought I was pretty clear the other day. I’m interested in you.”
A grimace and a shallow grunt comes from Tsukishima.
“Do you have to…?”
“Last time I asked you out on a date, didn’t I?” Tendou asks.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve refused that invitation,” says Tsukishima, voice a bit hesitant upon hearing the word ‘date’. “Is this some new type of bullying?” he asks, strengthening his guard.
“Bullying would be lame, wouldn’t it?” Tendou leans back and sighs. “I was sure you wouldn’t take me seriously. Therefore I’m here today to prove my intentions."
“Those intentions, I’m more than eager to hear,” says Tsukishima coldly.
“This is a pre-date,” replies Tendou, leaning on the table, and when he continues, his words are not more than a whisper. “I hope your Sunday is still free. I’d like you to accept that date.”
Tsukishima’s expression stays calm as ever, as he leans closer to whisper back.
“Date here and date there, don’t you think you’re teasing a bit too much, Tendou-san? In the end I might end up thinking that you’re gay and you have the hots for me.”
The waitress arrives with their plates.
“You’re free to assume whatever you want,” says Tendou unfazed, pulling back so the waitress can lay his crepe in front of him. He waits until she places Tsukishima’s shortcake and a smaller plate with dessert forks on the table, and thanks the girl for her services with a gentle smile. Only then he turns back to Tsukishima again. “You’re not entirely wrong,” he says.
Tsukishima gulps. He is left with little to make a comeback.
“In short, I’d like to date you,” continues Tendou, his soft gaze never leaving Tsukishima’s face. “It’s not that I fell in love at first sight, but you have an intriguing personality that I’m drawn to. Also, though I’m sure you know this, your face is pretty. I like it. It’s a trait I personally don’t possess,” he smirks darkly, then he grabs his fork and takes a bite of his crepe. “This tastes just as good as it looks. How about yours?”
Tsukishima opens and closes his mouth. He stares at Tendou. The other blocker keeps his eye contact without blinking.
“You’re not joking,” Tsukishima says.
“My intentions are genuine,” Tendou replies, nodding slowly.
“You asked me out on a date.”
“You’re rather slow. And here I thought you were a witty one.”
“Why?”
“Why do you want me to repeat myself?” asks Tendou, cutting the top of his ice cream scoop off with his fork.
Tsukishima huffs, taking the spare fork and cutting a bite off of his shortcake.
“I am a man, you know,” he states shortly.
“I’m not really bothered by sex or gender,” Tendou explains full-mouthed.
“But I am,” Tsukishima says.
“But aren’t you gay?” Tendou asks, ever so softly. “There should be no problems.”
Tsukishima’s fork clinks on the plate as he places it down just a bit forcefully. Oh, there is no mistake, he is gay. But this is a fact he was not willing to share with anyone, but Yamaguchi. Only his best friend was supposed to know. He feels as his face blushes, selling out one of his deepest secrets.
“Not that it’s any obvious,” Tendou continues. “But you do look it. And if someone keeps watching you, they will eventually notice. You have a thing for that tiny flying squirrel of yours, don’t you?”
“Rivalry, at most,” Tsukishima hisses.
“You were making glances all over him.”
“Out of spite.”
“Hmmm… if you say so,” Tendou says, dipping his crepe into the ice cream. “I could bet on it that you were interested in that number ten.”
“I’m not,” Tsukishima assures.
“Then you have no reason to refuse me. Date me.”
“No.”
“Why not? Because I’m ugly? Weird? Creepy?”
“I’m not interested in you,” Tsukishima says.
“Not even a little bit?” Tendou asks slowly. His words are soft, so is his touch, feather-light on the hand of Tsukishima.
“I am not,” says Tsukishima grimacing again, slapping Tendou’s hand away.
There it is, that expression running through Tendou’s face again, quickly but clearly enough for Tsukishima to grasp. It stings.
Guilt runs through Tsukishima, rendering him meek. He casts his eyes away and gulps down the rest of his shortcake in a few huge bites, not even registering the taste of it.
He refuses to acknowledge the hurt in the silence that falls between them; yet the quiet gaze of Tendou sinks under his skin, turning his ears an even deeper red.
Tsukishima chokes on his last bite of shortcake.
Tendou lets out an almost giggle tiny sigh.
“You know you’re a terrible liar, right?” he asks while Tsukishima drinks up his glass of water.
“Thank you for the cake and for the once in a lifetime experience,” says Tsukishima ignoring Tendou’s last comment, grabbing his bag to leave.
“See you at the station, near the big clock at Sunday noon,” Tendou says as Tsukishima stands up. “Don’t be late!”
It’s Thursday afternoon and Tsukishima walks out of the coffee shop without looking back or saying goodbye. His ears are red.
Eventually (TsukiTen)
Fandom: Haikyuu! Relationship: Tsukishima Kei / Tendou Satori Rating: Teen up? So far it’s teen up. Later may become a bit more mature-esque.
Tendou Satori has taken a liking to Tsukishima Kei. He doesn't want to miss a chance to let the boy know this.
In other words: what if before Yamaguchi could find Tsukishima in the bathroom after the Karasuno-Shiratorizawa match, Tsukishima had another encounter?
Huge thanks for @brokuro for the help with the beta!^^
Part 1 of a drabble sequence. Read it on AO3 or under the cut:
“Tch,” he hears coming from the bathroom. And again. And again. Those little frustrated noises pile up, nice and assuring as the tick-tock of a clock. Out of curiosity Tendou peeks in, only to spot that annoying middle blocker of Karasuno clenching the fist of his intact hand, and softly hitting it against the mirror. His glasses lay beside the sink, his face all dark and depressed… this isn’t the face of a boy who just advanced to the Nationals Spring Cup, is it? Tendou can sense his frustration, as a scent in the air and a taste on his lips. It is sweet. He himself has never been overly obsessed about winning or losing, as long as he could play his game. It still gives him great satisfaction to see the snotty first year sniveling in the bathroom. ‘Good,’ Tendou thinks to himself, a soft smile playing on his lips. ‘If you feel this worked up even though you’ve won… I can’t hate your guts after all.’ He takes a short breath and straightens his back before marching in, casually as ever, greeting the boy at the sink. “If it isn’t Mr. Average! Your triumph is not so average, though,” he smirks ever so slightly. “Tch,” the boy says, brows furrowing in an annoyed grimace. “Despite your attitude, that’s a cute noise you make.” “Shut up, Miracle Boy,” he grumbles. Tendou snorts. “How lovely,” he notes. “To be so young and vicious, I adore it,” Tendou says, walking past Tsukishima to reach the urinals. Hands on the waist of his pants, he turns. “So, what’s your deal? Why aren’t you with the others, hugging and screaming before the award ceremony?” “What does it matter to you?” retorts the boy without looking up. “Insufferable kids like you amuse me,” Tendou says, and then leisurely adds: “Anyway, I’ve taken a liking to you.” “That’s highly unlikely.” “Oh, come on,” says Tendou cheerfully, stepping to the urinal. “By the way. Should you be moping around here?” “Do you really carry on with a conversation while taking a piss?” he hears the agitated comeback. “You find that disgusting? Sorry-sorry, I already finished,” says Tendou as he walks back to stand next to the middle blocker of Karasuno. “I tend to be natural, you see,” he says, opening the tap to wash his hands. “And anyway, with this limited time we have until the awards ceremony, why should I waste a second of my precious time I can talk to you?” “I don’t deem it necessary for you to talk to me,” Tsukishima retorts. “Oh why, don’t be so shy,” says Tendou, turning to the boy. “You were way bolder back on the court.” “I admit that I was fired up,” Tsukishima says. His pale cheeks flush an ever light pink. “You are adorable,” slips the comment out of Tendou’s mouth. “In a uniquely nasty way.” “Tch.” “You seem to get agitated fast, but who are you angry at, at the moment?” asks Tendou, taking a few paper towels to dry his hands and wipe his face. “Me, for teasing you? Or rather, yourself? There must be a reason to why you are here alone while your teammates are all taking their refreshments down there,” he gestures in the general direction of the courts. “This isn’t even the closest restroom to begin with. You came here to be alone…” “Exactly, therefore I would appreciate if you let me be.” “Don’t be so harsh… on yourself,” Tendou smiles. He walks past again, behind the hunch backed blocker, and lays his hands on the exit door. “Straighten up,” he says, “that’s not the posture of a winner. You did well. Surprised even me.” He opens the door, discarding his used paper towels in the trash can beside him. He looks back, almost lovingly, to the boy leaning over the sink. “Be proud of yourself,” he says smirking, “and keep next Sunday free.” “Why would I…?” Tsukishima turns. “Because I’m taking you out, to the movies or for lunch, you choose,” Tendou replies, grinning widely. “I told you, didn’t I? I’ve taken a liking to you, Tchkishima Kei.”