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The air conditioner is broken. The fan is blowing the hot air drifting through the window straight into them which defeats the purpose of turning it on in the first place, yet it's too far away for either of them to turn off. The cicadas are being especially loud today, screaming their little hearts out right outside the window like they don't care that people are cussing them out in their heads.
Kei’s bed is a little too small for the both of them, but they’re laying next to each other anyway hoping that Akiteru gets back with something to eat soon. Tadashi has his legs tangled with Kei’s even though it’s obvious neither of them are going to be able to move. Their legs have that weird sticky feeling, the combination of sweat and heat acting as a form of glue to keep them together.
It’s gross, but Tadashi doesn’t want to move.
Kei’s playing the new Crash Bandicoot reboot, and Tadashi is watching intently over his shoulder. He said he'd never played Crash before so Tadashi brought over his copy and his console to fix that right away. Tadashi only managed to beat a few levels, and as a seasoned Crash veteran, he can honestly say it was a bit more challenging than he remembered.
When Kei had given him that sly smirk, the one that made him want to both kiss him and rolls his eyes at him because it's just a game Tadashi, it can't be that difficult, he'd handed over the controller so Kei could show just how easy it was.
He's enjoying the way Kei is huffing and clicking his teeth whenever he dies. He isn't smug anymore, and though he's feigning annoyances, he's actually having fun. Shoulders aren't tense, eyebrows aren't furrowed, a hint of a smile working its way onto his features.
And it should be perfectly normal and heartwarming to see him like this, but it's moments like these that terrify Tadashi.
Because when they go off to college at the end of their high school career and Kei goes on to do great things- with volleyball or academics, he isn't sure yet- where will Tadashi be? Will they still be side by side? Still holding hands and laying on the same bed enduring the heat of summer like they are now? Still kissing each other sweetly when they think nobody's looking yet teasing Kageyama and Hinata for doing the same thing? Still texting each other in the dead of night when they can't sleep?
Will they still just be Kei and Tadashi?
Or will they drift apart?
It's moments like these that make Tadashi wrap his arms tighter around Kei’s waist, shifting in his spot so he can let his forehead rest against the back of Kei’s neck while ignoring the proceeding complainants of his clingyness throwing Kei off. He holds tight and breathes in deep, letting the scent of cotton drift into him so he doesn't forget that they're here now, that he doesn't have to worry about any technicalities or impending decisions because they're together right now. They haven't graduated yet. They're okay for now.
And Kei will complain for a minute or two, but then he'll get it. He'll feel that same uneasiness and uncertainty that comes with the two of them sitting here like this, acting like the future isn't fast approaching and they won't have to deal with the elephant in the room sooner or later. He'll let Tadashi cling to him and relish in the love he's so willingly given.
Tadashi lets out a deep breath, the words leaving his mouth in what can barely be considered a whisper. “I love you.”
Kei doesn't say it, and he doesn't have to, because the way they end up cuddled chest to chest while the game is paused and the room is hotter than any place he's ever been tells him that Kei gives him as much love as he could ever want or need.
The cicadas are screaming and the air conditioning is broken, but they can rest easy knowing that right now, neither of them are going anywhere. Not now, and hopefully not ever.