Chapter Text
He didn't mind it at the start, when people jokingly flirted with Yamaguchi. But he isn't sure if it's a joke anymore.
When Nishinoya and Tanaka kept complimenting Yamaguchi's looks, it was fine, because they're naturally, like, extroverted and stuff.
But when Kenma complimented Yamaguchi. Tsukishima wanted to- he wanted to- do something. Something probably not very nice. But Kenma is okay. So he restrained himself. Just glared at the back of his head whenever he saw him.
If Kenma said it, all nervous and blushy, then everyone thinks that. And if everyone thinks Yamaguchi is pretty, then at least half of those everyone's have a crush on him. Which is a lot of options for Yamaguchi.
A lot of... way better options than Tsukishima.
And that's how Tsukishima ended up being way more hostile to some people. The people that showed interest in Yamaguchi. Not because he wanted Yamaguchi to stay away from them, necessarily- if Yamaguchi would show interest in them back, he would just, like, go sulk in the corner instead.
But the ones that Yamaguchi didn't like like that, Tsukishima had no problem making go away. Which were a lot of people. Almost everyone, for that matter.
Except Kenma.
Yamaguchi liked Kenma. Tsukishima even dares to say, he like likes him. He hangs out with him a lot. Less than with Tsukishima, of course, but their hanging out is getting very close to the amount of Tsukishima-Yamaguchi hanging out. And the blonde doesn't find that very ideal.
Last night he had to go get Yamaguchi from the Nekoma schools' dorms. He's been there almost all of their evening free-time, trying out Kenma's games.
It was very annoying to do, since he knew he would have to put up with Kuroo's immatureness. But that was less annoying than his teammates asking him where's Yamaguchi for the whole evening.
"Did he finally get enough of your attitude?" Hinata teased after Tsukishima told him, very firmly, to shut up for the fifth time.
His words get to him a little bit. It's not like he's like this when they're alone... No, he's nice with him. He has a nice attitude to him. Ask Yamaguchi himself.
But still, maybe it is something about him. Maybe he's just not good enough for Yamaguchi anymore.
Maybe he sees him as lame. Maybe he's not good enough.
"Yamaguchi," Tsukishima greeted when he came to the open doorway of Nekoma dorms. Yamaguchi was half-laying, in Kenma's lap, leaning onto him and sleepily staring at his phone. Tsukishima wanted to evaporate, especially when everyone's eyes turned to him and their yelling faltered.
His face didn't show it. Or at least he hoped it didn't. "We have to go back to our dorms." He said casually.
Yamaguchi nodded and sat up from Kenma, smiling at him and saying goodbye to everyone. Tsukishima saw how Kenma still stared at Yamaguchi when he turned his back to him. And Kenma saw him see it, quickly looked away and turned his back to the door.
"Kenma, you took away Tsukiskima's Tadashi time?" Kuroo scolded him playfully. Yamaguchi giggled at that. Tsukishima didn't react, but grabbed Yamaguchi's arm as soon as he was in reach and dragged him down the hallways. He could hear the Nekoma's team laughter and teasing and whatever, but he didn't care really. The real thing that bothered him was Kenma.
"Ts- ukki!" Yamaguchi yelped behind him, hardly keeping up with his quick steps to get as far away from Nekoma dorms as possible. It got Tsukishima out of his head, and he slowed down. He looked back at the shorter boy with concern.
"Sorry." He said.
Yamaguchi lowered his head a little bit and his face got scrunched lightly into some kinda emotion. "It's okay..." He reassured and smiled.
Tsukishima stared at him for a little bit. His head was still lowered just a bit, and he was still smiling, with his sleepy eyes. He took a mental picture of his face just then. A new Yamaguchi-face to add to his gallery.
Then, he cleared his throat and shortly nodded. He averted his eyes to the floor and realized he's still grasping Yamaguchi's hand. He didn't seem to mind.
He let go of it, anyway, to prevent a horrible case of blushing and risking Yamaguchi seeing it. Embarrassing.
There was suppressed laughter heard from down the hallway. Tsukishima looked up, and saw Kuroo in the distance, recognizable by his hair, and some other guy standing at the doorway of Nekoma's team doorway giggling. He scowled and turned away to continue walking to their dorm.
Tsukishima carefully and quietly opened the door to Karasuno dorm, assuming they were all sleeping due to the no light seen from the bottom of the door, and because he didn't feel like dealing with annoyed teammates. More of the second.
They weren't sleeping. Hinata, Nishinoya and Tanaka were running away with little flashlight-laser things, acting like they were in the middle of war. The rest were either annoyed or entertained, mostly annoyed. At least it wasn't Tsukishima's fault.
"Yamaguchi! You're back!" Nishinoya exclaimed and came running to Yamaguchi. He threw himself at him- but not in a hug way. In a he threw his body at him way. It caused Yamaguchi to almost fall over, if it weren't for Tsukishima moving to stand right behind him when he saw Nishinoya charging up like a cartoon character.
"I thought you were one of us!" He dramatically put his hands on his face.
"Yay! How's Kenma!" Hinata came behind, also throwing himself at Yamaguchi and Nishinoya.
"Did they tie you up and take you there?! Did they give you anything to eat?!" Tanaka dramatically shook him by the shoulders. Yamaguchi was just giggling. Pressed against Tsukishima, who was getting redder by the second. Due to the light behind him, no one saw it, thankfully. He just wants to go to sleep now. No more screaming, no more lasers, no more this Kenma-Yamaguchi stuff. He wants it to be like it was before.
"Shut up, guys," Suga groans from his mat. "And go to sleep! Some people don't have unlimited energy." He yawns and throws himself back on his pillow with a loud thud.
The trio moans and groans and makes their way to their own sleeping spaces. Tsukishima sighs and closes the door, which causes full darkness, and neither of them see where they're going. Yamaguchi kicks Asahi in the stomach, god knows how, and he jump scares everyone when he yelps painfully. Of course everyone starts groaning and Yamaguchi starts apologizing, so Tsukishima pulls him to himself by the shoulders to guide him, feeling the wall along the way.
"Thanks, Tsukki," Yamaguchi whispers close to Tsukishima's ear when the blonde gets them to their mats, but maybe or maybe not doesn't take his arm off Yamaguchi and eases him down on the mat.
"Shut up." He whispers back and hopes to god his voice isn't as shaky as he thinks it is.
Yamaguchi just giggles and wiggles closer to Tsukishima's mat with his to use his arm as a sort of pillow. Like he doesn't have a perfect extra pillow for this just next to him.
Tsukishima doesn't mind. Not in a negative sense anyway. He minds it in a good way... Like, it makes him happy and giddy. They snuggle like this all the time when they have their own sleepovers, or just when they're hanging out alone. He bets Kenma never experienced Yamaguchi using his arm as a pillow.
Well. He used all of Kenma as a pillow, technically... He doesn't want to think about it.
Why doesn't he do that with him? Does he think Tsukishima wouldn't want that? Maybe it really is just the way he is. But he can change the way he is. And he will. He will make sure to show Yamaguchi that no, he wouldn't not-want being affectionate with him. He would very much want that.
Whatever. He moves Yamaguchi a bit to get his arm under him to wrap it around his middle and pulls him closer. Yamaguchi puts an arm around the blonde's middle, hesitantly. Tsukishima gets it, they've never really been like this with other people in the room, and Yamaguchi probably doesn't want to press Tsukishima. But he doesn't mind. Again, not in a negative sense at least. Be the change you want to see, and all that, right. That change starts now.
And he can feel it working already; he feels Yamaguchi smile into his shoulder and shuffle closer to him. He runs his hand up and down Yamaguchi's back, and melts when Yamaguchi pushes his back into his hand for a second. Tsukishima puts his other hand on top of the freckled boys', gently to not scare him or something. His head is reeling and- when did he start smiling so wide?
He's so gonna show Yamaguchi how cuddly he can be. Just like he's with Kenma, except better, because he loves Yamaguchi more than Kenma. They've known each other for barely a week and they're already that... friendly.
Imagine what knowing each other for basically their whole lives will get them. Tsukishima is imagining. And he wants to giggle and scream like a schoolgirl. But, he contains himself- sort of. He squeezes Yamaguchi closer instead- of screaming. Yamaguchi huffs and slides his hand to Tsukishima's neck, cupping the back of it.
"Sweet dreams." He whispers. Barely audible, if it wasn't said practically into Tsukishima's ear.
He blushes. He hopes Yamaguchi is blushing too. "You, too," he whispers back, just as non-audibly as Yamaguchi had. But since they're that close they can basically feel each other's words.
...And then Daichi starts snoring like a monster.