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Kei Tsukishima is a conservative and cautious person who is not good at expressing his feelings. He doesn't usually open his heart to anyone, not even his family, to anyone except Yamaguchi.
He and Yamaguchi have been good friends since childhood, ever since that day in the park when two stupid kids were teasing him for his freckles. What's so wrong with his gorgeous freckles?
He's perfect just the way he is, she loves every part of him, his beautiful eyelashes, his dark green hair, the way his uniform fits him so perfectly, taller than average but shorter than Tsukishima. He's just adorable.
Who couldn't love him? Tsukishima fell head over heels for his best friend...
And finally, one summer afternoon, the words slipped from his lips, he never expected to be accepted, yet Yamaguchi has such a big and understanding heart, with all his love he accepted Tsukishima's feelings.
He lost track of time during the months they were together, when you are with the person you love the most nothing matters, not the weather, not the time, not the circumstances, how lucky he was to have such an incredible person.
For Kei, Tadashi Yamaguchi represented his reason for moving on.
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Five months, three weeks, and two days, Tadashi keeps an exact count of how long they've been dating.
Although Yamaguchi doesn't seem like a nervous person, at least not around Tsukishima, since that afternoon he's had a wave of emotions, both positive and negative. However, he's very happy to be by Tsukki's side.
Is there anything that could be better than this?
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Math is a pain, but if Yamaguchi wanted to keep attending training he had to complete all his assignments and get a good grade on his exam, he wishes he had Tsukki right now, it would help him learn faster...
Why didn't he stop the girls in his class from taking him away? He should have said that he already had commitments, so they could find another math tutor. As he went over the formulas, that constant thought distracted him, making him regret having missed the opportunity to share this afternoon together.
Tsukki is so smart, it was one of the reasons why he fell in love with him, he is also detail-oriented and understanding (in his own way)... He was always there for him, supporting him in all his challenges.
"He had studied a lot, a break wouldn't hurt him." He closed his books with a sigh, got up from his seat and went to his bed. He let himself fall on the mattress, feeling his body sink into the softness of the sheets. He looked at the ceiling, the previous thoughts came back to his mind in the solitude of his room, he missed Tsukki's company, his warmth and the peace he emanated. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to imagine his presence, he remembered the small details he noticed in his boyfriend.
The way he squints his eyes when he concentrates, how his big and skilled hands hold free throws or play volleyball, the firmness of his arms when he wraps them around him, his slender and imposing figure, Kei's legs were long and defined, the result of hard training and in the games his jumps showed his strength and speed and not only that, also his thighs, oh my.
He remembered how they thought about each other under the fabric of the uniform. If Yamaguchi could choose his death he would definitely be hanged by them, "those thighs could explode even a watermelon" he thought with a smile. Kissing them and marking them, was all he wanted or if maybe Tsukki allowed him he could use them to slide his...
Oh, he began to feel discomfort in his pants, his face became hot. Kei Tsukishima made all his thoughts a mess, he really loved that man.
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Tsukishima was in his classroom, putting his notebooks into his backpack and heading to training. As he adjusted his zipper, he saw a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye. Yamaguchi was waiting for him outside his classroom, leaning against the column. He let out a small sigh and smiled. He picked up his backpack and headed towards the door.
— Tsukki! — he was greeted by an enthusiastic Yamaguchi.
Tsukishima didn't have time to return the greeting before Yamaguchi took a look around, making sure no one was around. Without warning, he moved closer and planted a kiss on Kei's lips.
The warmth of the contact left him motionless, unable to process what had just happened. The soft brush of Tadashi's lips against his left him in shock.
Yamaguchi, for his part, pulled away with a shy smile, his cheeks slightly flushed. He knew he had been bold, but he couldn't help it, he was about to apologize, the blush on his face intensifying as he searched for the right words. However, he was startled when he felt Tsukishima's warm hand intertwine with his, his gaze quickly rose to the taller man's eyes, finding something he didn't expect.
There was no awkwardness, much less anger, instead, he saw an expression of happiness. Nervousness took over Yamaguchi making him hold his breath, he hadn't expected Tsukki to react like that, he expected some kind of rejection or confusion, but that gesture wasn't on his list of reactions.
Yamaguchi couldn't help but smile. Kei could convey various emotions through gestures.
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Yamaguchi was searching for his bento in his backpack, until he felt a small hand gently touching him. When he turned around, he saw a short girl, she was probably a first year, since he had never seen her before.
— Excuse me, you're Yamaguchi-san right? — she asked, with a slightly unsure voice.
— Yes, do you need something? —
— I have something to tell you... could you come with me? — She asked while hiding her trembling hands behind her back
Intrigued, Yamaguchi nodded gently, allowing her to guide him to a secluded area, away from the hustle and bustle. They walked in silence until they stopped in front of a cherry blossom, a slight blush appeared on the girl's face when she turned around, and what she said next left Yamaguchi surprised.
— i like you, Yamaguchi-san —
silence
Her mind went blank for a moment
"I'm so sorry... but I'm already in a relationship" Yamaguchi said, thinking of Kei a light blush covered her cheeks. The girl blinked, clearly shocked and tried to keep her composure, however, the pain in her eyes was evident. She hadn't expected to be rejected, within seconds, her face twisted and she burst into tears, covering her face.
Yamaguchi, feeling guilty, approached her to comfort her "Hey, please don't cry... everything will be okay" he said softly, while placing a hand on her shoulder.
The heartbroken girl, threw herself into Yamaguchi's arms, clinging to him while apologizing
"I'm sorry, I had no idea, but, I like you. I like you a lot, Yamaguchi"
He tried unsuccessfully to separate himself from her, for how small she is, she had enough strength. What Yamaguchi didn't know was that, a few meters away, Kei had witnessed the scene. From where he was, all he could see was his boyfriend hugging the girl, while she cried against his chest.
Kei's heart clenched tightly.
“What the hell is he doing?” Kei thought, feeling rage consuming him. Without waiting to clear things up, he turned on his heel and walked away, hands clenched into fists. The image of Yamaguchi hugging another person played in his head, fueling the doubts he’d always had about being important enough to him.
Yamaguchi, on the other hand, didn't notice Kei's wounded look or the fury brewing in his heart. To him, that was just an act of kindness, but to Kei, it was the beginning of a storm of confusion and doubts.
That same afternoon, Kei received a text from Yamaguchi asking him why he hadn't waited for him like always. However, instead of responding with the usual warmth, Kei answered curtly, then silenced the notifications on his phone. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to listen.
The image of Yamaguchi hugging that girl was still engraved in his mind, and although he knew the right thing to do would be to confront him, something stopped him. Every time he tried to ask himself if he should mention it, his mind betrayed him with the insistent idea that maybe Yamaguchi had grown tired of him. What if she had found someone better?
The thought tormented him. Kei closed his eyes, trying to push those thoughts away, but the pain was still there, rooted in his chest.
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Over the next few days, Kei began to act cold and distant. His gaze, which used to seek out Yamaguchi's in the quietest moments, now avoided any contact. Every interaction between them was sharp, and the awkwardness in the air was palpable. His friends, and especially his teammates, began to notice. The laughter and jokes between the two had disappeared, replaced by awkward silences and averted glances.
During training, Sugawara, ever perceptive, leaned over to Yamaguchi and whispered, "Everything okay with you and Kei? It seems like you two fought or something..." The concern in his voice was evident.
Yamaguchi, who had been mulling the situation over, shrugged, still confused. "I don't know... We haven't fought. At least, not that I know of..." he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty. He had been wondering all this time what he had done wrong, mentally reviewing every conversation, every gesture. He couldn't figure out what had caused this sudden change in Kei. The minutes dragged on until the end of the training session. Kei barely spoke to him, and when he did, it was in a dry tone that left no room for more. The tension between them was felt in every movement, in every fleeting glance they exchanged on the court. His teammates tried to ignore it, but they couldn't help but notice that something was deeply wrong.
The atmosphere felt tense, and even the most distracted could tell that something had changed.
During the break, Kageyama, in his typical direct style, approached Yamaguchi.
“Hey, it’s not that I care or anything,” he said, crossing his arms, “but you’ve been distant from Tsukishima these past few days. Has something happened between you two?”
Yamaguchi blinked, surprised by the question. The worry that had been simmering in his chest for days became more evident. He had no idea what he had done wrong, but he couldn’t ignore Kei’s growing coldness.
“I… I don’t know,” he finally answered, trying to sound carefree, although his uneasiness crept into his voice. “What did I do wrong?” he thought over and over again, without finding clear answers.
“Maybe you should ask him,” he shifted his gaze to Tsukishima, watching him practice.
Finally, when training was over, Yamaguchi decided that he would follow Kageyama's advice; he needed to know what he had done to make Kei treat him like that. The two ended up entering the locker room, where a confrontation was inevitable.
“What’s wrong with you?” Yamaguchi asked, his voice louder than usual as he dropped his backpack on a bench. Kei, who had been quietly changing, stared at him coldly.
“You really don’t know?” Kei replied, his tone icy, but with an edge that cut through the air between them.
“No, I don’t know. If I did something wrong, tell me. Because I don’t understand why you’re behaving like this towards me.” Yamaguchi tried to remain calm, but frustration was evident in his voice.
Kei let out a bitter laugh. “Do you really think I didn’t do anything? I saw you, Tadashi. I saw you with that girl. Hugging her like nothing mattered.” The words came out of his mouth laden with jealousy and insecurity, something Kei could no longer control.
Yamaguchi was stunned for a moment, blinking as he processed what Kei had just said. “What…? What are you talking about?”
"Don't play dumb," Kei growled, his anger bubbling to the surface. "I saw her in your arms. Or did you forget that quickly?"
It was at that moment that Yamaguchi realized the misunderstanding. “Kei, no… It wasn’t what you think!” he exclaimed, quickly approaching, but Kei took a step back, as if he didn’t want to hear any more.
“So what was it? What explanation do you have for that?” Kei looked at him with narrowed eyes, clearly hurt. He wasn’t used to dealing with such emotions, and the only way he knew how to protect himself was by attacking.
“She confessed to me, and I rejected her… She was crying, and I was just trying to calm her down. It was nothing more than that,” Yamaguchi said, his voice urgent, almost desperate to clear things up. “I would never do something like that to you, Kei.”
Kei looked at him, Yamaguchi’s words slowly breaking through the cloud of jealousy and confusion that had been consuming him. But the tension was still there, fueled by days of silence and misunderstandings.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Yamaguchi asked
They both fell silent, the echo of their words floating around the empty locker room. The distance that had grown between them over the past few days seemed unbridgeable at that moment, but at the same time, the misunderstanding was beginning to clear up.
Yamaguchi, trying to process what had happened, heard something that shocked him deeply: a soft sob. He looked up, incredulous, and what he saw left him completely stunned. Tears were silently running down Kei's cheeks, who was looking at the ground, trying to hide his face behind his bangs.
Yamaguchi felt a knot in his stomach. Seeing Kei cry, someone so reserved and always distant with his emotions, was something he would never have imagined. Guilt flooded him immediately. Carefully, he approached, maintaining the calm he knew he needed at that moment, and without saying a word, he placed a gentle hand on Kei's arm.
"Kei..." he whispered, his voice full of tenderness and concern. Kei didn't pull away, but he didn't look up either, as if the falling tears had taken all his strength.
Gently, Yamaguchi wrapped him in a hug, pulling him close. At first, Kei remained rigid, still fighting the tide of emotions overwhelming him, but he eventually relented, resting his forehead on Yamaguchi's shoulder. His hands, which had been tense, relaxed as the soft sobs continued, though more controlled.
"I don't want to fight you," Yamaguchi murmured into his hair, keeping their hold firm. "I love you, Kei. There's nothing I care about more than you. This isn't something we should fight about." Yamaguchi's words were soft but clear, each one imbued with sincerity.
Kei finally looked up, his eyes red and wet, still looking vulnerable. He looked at him, trying to find the confidence in those words, and the guilt over his insecurities washed over him even more. "I'm sorry... Tadashi. I didn't know... I was afraid, that you'd found someone else, that you'd gotten bored of me," he murmured in a broken voice.
"It's okay, Kei," Yamaguchi replied with a gentle smile, his hand gently caressing the back of the taller man's neck. "You don't have to apologize. I just want you to know that I'll always be with you. I don't care about anyone else in that way."
Without thinking twice, Tadashi gently lifted Kei's face with one hand, meeting his gaze. Kei's eyes were still shining with tears, but now there was a mix of relief and vulnerability in them that made him feel closer than ever.
Gently, Yamaguchi leaned forward and, without hesitation, pressed his lips against Kei's in a soft, gentle kiss. It was a gesture full of affection, unhurried, as if he wanted to make sure Kei felt the love he was offering, letting all the emotions flow between them. Kei, surprised at first, was quick to reciprocate, closing his eyes and letting himself be carried away by the warmth of the kiss.
The world around them seemed to fade away; the misunderstanding, the tension of the last few days, everything crumbled in that moment of intimacy. Tadashi slid a hand down the back of Kei's neck, deepening the kiss carefully, while the other young man clung to his shirt, as if he were afraid that the moment would disappear if he let go.
The soft and gentle kiss soon began to intensify, almost without them realizing it. Tadashi, who had kissed Kei calmly at first, now did so with more passion, letting his emotions flow freely. With each touch of their lips, he wanted to make it clear how much he loved Kei, that there was no one more important to him.
Kei, who had started out surprised by the initial tenderness, now let himself go completely. His hands, which before had only held Tadashi's shirt, began to move down his back, bringing him even closer to his body, seeking that proximity he had longed for so much during the days they spent apart.
The kisses became more intense, deeper, as if they both wanted to make up for lost time, as if they wanted to erase any doubt that had existed between them. Tadashi, though he had always been the calmer and more serene of the two, couldn't help but lose himself in the heat of the moment, his lips moving more urgently over Kei's, making it clear that at that moment the only thing that mattered to him was him.
Kei's heart was beating hard, and though he wasn't usually one to show his emotions easily, at that moment he couldn't help himself.
"Tadashi..." Kei whispered between kisses, his breathing labored, his voice low and charged with emotion. But Yamaguchi didn't stop; instead, he deepened the contact, wrapping his arms around Kei's neck, wanting to feel him closer, more his.
The atmosphere in the locker room, once tense and full of uncertainty, was now filled with something much more intimate. Tadashi's kisses became more and more confident, as if he wanted to prove with each one that there was no one else in his heart but Kei. Every touch of his lips, every movement, screamed the same truth: that Kei was the only person he cared about.
When they finally separated, their breaths ragged and their faces flushed, Tadashi stared at him with a soft smile, his eyes shining with a mix of affection and determination. "Do you see it now?" he said softly, his voice barely a whisper. "There's no one else. Just you."
Kei, heart pounding, looked into his eyes, and for the first time in days, a feeling of relief and safety washed over him. He nodded slowly, his fingers still clinging to the fabric of Tadashi's shirt. "I know... I'm sorry." His words were sincere, but more than that, they were filled with gratitude.
Tadashi smiled again, leaning in for one last kiss, this time softer, quieter, like a silent promise that everything was okay between them...