Chapter Text
Practice is over, and the Karasuno team has finally worn out. The moon hangs in the sky, and the stars spread across the night. Crickets chirp louder than the fading echoes of the court. Each member settles down against the courts walls.
Hinata, the one who, of course, is the least worn out, locks eyes with Yamaguchi and instinctively speed-walks over. “Yamaguchi!” he calls, settling down next to him. “Hey captain sir! you didn’t practice much today, did you?” Hinata’s voice carries a little too loudly, and a few teammates glance their way. “Ah, yeah… I guess I didn’t,” Yamaguchi says, giving a genuine smile so as not to worry him. “I’ve been getting a lot of muscle cramps lately. Just want to take it easy before heading to the chiropractor.”Hinata frowns slightly, sighs, and then starts patting Yamaguchi’s back a little too enthusiastically. “Some captain you are Yama-llama, you’ve always been built like a marshmallow!” The two laugh, no hard feelings, before settling into the quiet of the evening. The gym feels joyful, almost perfect. Everyone’s in a good mood, they had a strong practice, and a tournament is coming up soon.
As Yamaguchi talks with Hinata, his gaze drifts over to Tsukishima, who is helping Yachi put up the court’s net. Hinata notices Yamaguchi isn’t paying attention anymore and quietly follows his line of sight. Of course, his eyes land on Tsukishima. “Heh…” Hinata says out loud, accidentally. Yamaguchi quickly turns back to him, anxious. “Heh, what, Hinata?” he blurts. “Ah, nothing. I just think it’s kind of funny how, throughout our entire high school career, you’ve always had your eyes on Tsukishima. You two have stayed so inseparable!” Hinata beams, oblivious. Kageyama slowly walks over, sits down next to them, and takes a sip of his water bottle. “I agree with Hinata,” he says bluntly. “It’s like you guys are married.” “Don’t say such ridiculous things, stupid!” Hinata immediately protests, crossing his arms. “I never said they were like a married couple!” Kageyama just rolls his eyes to Hinatas comment, clearly too tired to argue with the hothead. Yamaguchi giggles, trying to appear unfazed. “I don’t see what you guys mean. Me and Tsukki are just childhood friends. Of course I want to look out for him.” Kageyama tilts his head slightly, glancing at Tsukishima and Yachi before returning his gaze to Yamaguchi. “I don’t think ‘looking out for each other’ is the same as staring at your friend like that while he hangs out with a girl,” he says before thinking. Yamaguchi and Hinata’s eyes widen. The air thickens as Kageyama’s blunt remark lands, silencing the trio. “Eh… I wasn’t… doing that,” Yamaguchi says defensively. “Honestly, I kinda thought you two were a thing for a bit, but I guess that’s just me being nosy. I’m not the type to care about that stuff,” Kageyama finally adds. “Who was a ‘thing’ with Yamaguchi?” Tsukishima asks, looming over Kageyama, arms crossed. Yamaguchi’s face turns red, embarrassed at being caught in such a weird conversation. “Nothing, Tsukki!” he yells. Hinata jumps up to save the moment. “Yeah! Nothing important! What is important is getting our bellies full! Who’s up for food?” He throws both arms up and pumps his fists in the air. “I could go for a big bowl of Tamago Kake Gohan!” The team cheers at the suggestion. Yachi finally walks up and stands next to Tsukishima. “Wow, aren't guys are in such a good mood! Mind if I tag along? My stomach has been grumbling all dayyy” Yamaguchi and Kageyama grab their bags, being the last to pack up. “The more the merrier,” Tsukishima says. Yamaguchi gives him a weird glance—this isn’t something Tsukishima usually says. It’s… out of character. *“What happened while they were putting up that net?”* he wonders, quickly brushing the thought from his mind as he is the final member out of the court.
The group spills out of the gym, laughter and chatter filling the night air. Hinata runs ahead, already planning the food order in his head, while Kageyama jogs to keep up. Yamaguchi lags a step behind, his bag slung over one shoulder, and his eyes drift to Tsukishima. Tsukishima walks next to Yachi, interacting with her some more, and Yamaguchi’s chest tightens before he even realizes it. He blinks quickly and tells himself it’s nothing, just friends, just normal. But his steps slow slightly, and he notices the way Tsukishima’s mouth curls in a small, unthinking smile. He shakes his head subtly and forces his gaze forward, catching up with Hinata and Kageyama. Focus on the food, *"Yama"*, he thinks, *"not on him"*. Yet the sound of Tsukishima laughing with Yachi lingers in his ears, and the moonlight glints off his hair in a way that makes it almost impossible to ignore. *"Why does it hurt to just watch him be… happy?"* The thought sneaks in uninvited, and Yamaguchi rubs the back of his neck, trying to shake it off. He’s fine, he tells himself. He’s fine… and yet, for the first time that night, he notices how quiet the moonlight feels above him, as if it’s holding its breath along with him.As they walk, Yamaguchi’s gaze keeps drifting back. Tsukishima laughs at something Yachi says—a small, almost shy sound he rarely makes. Yamaguchi blinks, startled by how quickly his chest tightens. That laugh… that smile… it feels different, softer, warmer than the usual cool detachment he’s used to. He tells himself it’s nothing. Tsukishima’s just being himself, talking to a teammate. Still, a tiny, irrational pang of jealousy flickers inside him. Yamaguchi can feel his hands clench lightly around the straps of his bag. Don’t think about it. Don’t… A small gesture catches his eye: Tsukishima adjusts the strap of Yachi’s bag for her, a fleeting movement, almost imperceptible to anyone else. But Yamaguchi notices. His stomach twists in a way that’s both familiar and new, a mix of admiration, longing, and fear. He quickly looks away, forcing his steps to match Hinata’s bouncing stride ahead. Why does it feel like my chest is going to explode just because he… touched her bag? He mentally scolds himself, cheeks warming under the streetlights. He’s fine, it’s nothing, he’s just… a friend. A childhood friend. And yet, every time Tsukishima glances back at him—briefly, almost accidentally—Yamaguchi’s thoughts scatter. He swallows, takes a deep breath, and focuses on Hinata’s loud proclamation of “Tamago Kake Gohan first!” The distraction helps, but only just. Even as the group continues down the street, Yamaguchi can’t help the quiet, insistent hum of his own feelings—the awareness that nothing has changed, and yet everything feels more fragile, more complicated than it ever did before.
The restaurant is lively, the smell of steaming rice and savory miso greeting them as they push through the door. Hinata practically bounces ahead, dragging Kageyama to the counter to claim their usual spot, while Yamaguchi trails behind, following Tsukishima and Yachi. The chatter is loud, the clatter of dishes and cutlery mixing with laughter, and for a moment, everything feels ordinary, like a normal high school night. Yamaguchi sits next to Kageyama, glancing at Tsukishima across the table. He laughs at something Yachi says, leaning just slightly toward her in a way that feels… different. Softer. More open than usual. Yamaguchi feels a familiar twist in his chest, a combination of warmth, longing, and that old, restless ache he tries so hard to ignore. The team eat away their hunger as the night progresses. Each member enjoying each others company, except for Yamaguchi, who can't seem to get rid of this overwhelming feeling that he feels in the back of his mind. He pushes down the feeling, taking a bite of rice, trying to focus on Hinata’s endless enthusiasm about toppings and Kageyama’s blunt remarks about portion sizes. But his eyes keep flicking back, almost involuntarily, and his heart won’t stop racing. Finally, it’s too much. Yamaguchi swallows the last of his drink and mutters. “I—I think I’ll head out first, I just remembered that I have a lot of homework that I need to complete! I totally forgot about it” he says quickly, voice a little higher than usual. Hinata frowns but waves him off. “Okay, Yama! Get some good rest too! You’re always going to the chiropractor anyway!” Kageyama barely looks up from his food. “Mm. See you later.” Mouth full of pork. Tsukishima glances briefly at him, expression neutral yet slightly confused, and Yamaguchi almost feels guilty for leaving without a proper goodbye. Almost.
He slips out into the night air, the warmth of the restaurant behind him replaced by the quiet chill of the street. The sounds of the city feel muted compared to the chaos inside, but he doesn’t mind. He needs the space. Needs to sort through the confusing tangle of feelings threatening to pull him under. Why does it hurt so much to just see him be… happy? The thought repeats itself stubbornly as he walks, hands buried in his pockets, gaze fixed on the glow of the streetlights. He tells himself it’s nothing. It’s just a silly crush. Just… just Tsukki being Tsukki. But deep down, he knows it isn’t nothing. Not anymore. Yamaguchis face flushes at the thought of having a crush on Tsukki, his childhood best friend. To him, it almost feels like a betrayal of their friendship, thats why he feels so upset...that has to be it.
Yamaguchi forces himself to keep walking through the empty sidewalk. The night seems to get brighter as the stars shimmer above him. He stops. Yamaguchi looks up, admiring the star-lit sky. 'Tsukki.." Yamaguchi's bottom lip quivers as he whispers Tsikishimas name under his breath, a small tear running down his red-freckled face. "I..promise, I wont fall for you." Yamaguchi's tears run down his face even more quickly. The night sky comforts hi, as the continues to walk, sniffles can be heard from the young boy. He takes his hands out of his pockets and begins to rub his arms slightly, a restless motion he’s done a hundred times before when emotions become too heavy. He hates that it feels like a crutch, but it’s the only way he knows to quiet the storm inside. And with that, Yamaguchi disappears into the night, the sounds of the city whispering around him, leaving behind only the faint echo of a heartbeat—and the tension of all the things left unsaid.
Back at the restaurant Tsukishima thought *"Why did he leave so early?'* he wondered, tilting his head slightly. It wasn’t like Yamaguchi to bail mid-meal, not without a good reason. Tsukishima’s lips pressed into a thin line, the faintest crease forming between his brows. He didn’t need to admit it to anyone, but a small, uncharacteristic pang of concern tugged at him. He shook his head subtly and leaned back in his chair. *"Probably just tired. Or… something else."* He didn’t finish the thought, didn’t need to. It was easier to focus on the clatter of dishes, the laughter still ringing from Hinata and Kageyama, and the quiet hum of conversation around them. Yet, when he glanced toward the door again, just in case, his eyes softened ever so slightly. Tsukishima didn’t move, didn’t call out. He didn’t have to. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew Yamaguchi wasn’t just leaving the restaurant—he was wrestling with something, and Tsukishima… didn’t entirely hate that he cared enough to notice. Yachi, still smiling faintly, was picking at her rice while chatting quietly with someone across the table. She gestured with her chopsticks as she spoke, tilting her head in that gentle, earnest way that made people want to listen. Tsukishima’s jaw tightened imperceptibly. She was nice enough, always cheerful and careful, and he didn’t dislike her, but he couldn’t help the small, unfamiliar pang of irritation that Yamaguchi’s attention seemed to drift toward her. Not that Yamaguchi would ever admit it—he wasn’t that obvious—but seeing him there, lingering, made Tsukishima’s chest tighten in a way he wasn’t used to noticing. He shifted slightly in his seat, just enough to glance at Yachi, catching her in the middle of a small laugh at something Hinata said. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, completely unaware of the tension she’d unknowingly stirred. Tsukishima went back to staring down at his unfinished food. "I think I just lost my appetite.." He mumbled to himself. Yachi turned her head to Tsukishima, clearly showing some concern. "What did'ya say Tsukki?" Yachi said innocently. Calling Tsukishima by the nickname Yamaguchi gave him was out of the ordinary, which made Hinata and Kageyama stop arguing over food and look over at Tsukishima, who seemingly had only a slight reaction to hearing Yachi call him by his nickname. "Wahh, how come Yachi can call you Tsukki, but I get beat up over it!" Hinata finally added. Tsukishima scoffed and looked away from the group, adjusting his glasses. "I don't care what you guys call me.." Tsukishima said calmly. Honestly, Tsukishima found it kind of adorable hearing a girl call him by his nickname, he slightly blushed but a feeling of guilt quickly washed over him. Instead of hearing Yachi's voice in his head, all he could hear was Yamaguchi's soft voice whisper his nickname instead. "Tsukki.." "What the hell is wrong with me..." Tsukishima thought. The team continued to spend some time eating and chatting, the night was endless and so were these new feelings that sprouted in each of these characters.