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If there was one thing Matsukawa hated more than glitter, it was tinsel.
Mother. Fucking. Tinsel.
“Get that shit out the clubroom or I quit. I’m not even joking. Burn it.” Hanamaki bursts into cackles, Oikawa snickering as he holds the ladder Hanamaki stands on, and Iwaizumi silently passes up a pin for him to attach the tinsel to the wall with.
“You’re doing this on purpose, you assholes!”
“How’d you figure it out, genius~?” Matsukawa growls under his breath, grinding his teeth together. From the corner of the changing room, Watari tilts his head in confusion, like an adorable puppy.
“What's wrong with decorating? You seemed okay with it last year…”
“Because last year, we didn’t have fucking tinsel.”
“Tinsel is really pretty though…” Matsukawa whips his head around with such ferocity, bloodthirst in his eyes and lips curled into a snarl, that Kindaichi hangs his head in shame at the innocent statement.
“Now, now, Mattsun~. Kin-chan is right, tinsel is pretty. And it’s an imperative part of Christmas decorating! So get over it~!”
“Get over yourself, Oikawa.” Flabbergasted, the Captain stares at Matsukawa, jaw dropped. Not interested in his reaction, even as Iwaizumi laughs, Matsukawa turns to the nearest tinsel and pulls it from the ceiling.
“Matsukawa-senpai!” Picking up the pins that have fallen to the ground as the tinsel was ripped away, Yahaba moves to stop him.
“Look, you can have holly and mistletoe, you can have baubles and snowflakes, you can even have those shiny metallic-like decorations. But no fucking tinsel.”
“But why?!” For a moment, there’s silence. Then, from where they’re hanging up more tinsel by the Christmas tree, the other third years start giggling, muffled laughs and hissed snickers, trying to keep quiet but unable to keep their amusement underwraps. Kyoutani raises an eyebrow at them.
“Don’t you fucking dare.” Matsukawa points one finger at Hanamaki, eyes narrowed as the Wing Spiker opens his mouth to tell the tale, smug as anything.
“This time two years ago-”
“Hanamaki, I’m warning you!”
“-When we were tiny first years first helping decorate the clubroom-”
“Stop right there!”
“-we were assigned tree duty - MMPH!” Matsukawa’s last resort was to throw his jacket, and fortunately, it hit the mark.
“No.” But fate is not on Matsukawa’s side, and Iwaizumi puts down the packet of pins, getting ready to bolt out the clubroom door with a smirk.
“We used Matsukawa as the tree, stripped him to pants, and wrapped him in tinsel!” The only reason Matsukawa doesn’t launch himself forwards and tackle Iwaizumi is because he’s suddenly held back by Yahaba on one side, Kindaichi on the other, and Kunimi lethargically gripping the back of his shirt.
“He ended up with a huge rash wherever the tinsel was touching him!”
“That shit was itchy as fuck! I never want to see it in my life, ever again!” Yahaba humms, letting Matsukawa go with a shrug.
“That’s understandable. I guess we should take the tinsel down.”
“Thank you, Yahaba. At least someone understands.”
“But- But tinsel is really pretty! It doesn’t feel like Christmas without tinsel! Can we at least leave up the ones above the lockers? They won’t be near you! Please…?” Kindaichi’s heartbroken plea has Matsukawa stop in his tracks. He tries to form an argument, but the first year looks at the silver and blue tinsel with such a forlorn and longing expression, Matsukawa knows he isn’t going to win this.
“Fine. But only the ones above the lockers. Anything within reach is forbidden.” Kindaichi gasps with delight, eyes lighting up like he’s been given the whole world, and Watari cheers in the background with Oikawa’s shriek of pure joy. Even Hanamaki pumps a fist in victory, and Iwaizumi nods in agreement with Matsukawa’s decision. Understandingly, they take the rest down.
“... This has been bugging me for a while, but… Why was Matsukawa-senpai wrapped in tinsel when you were on tree duty?” Kunimi’s dull but curious question sparks interest, Kyoutani pausing in pulling on his shirt to listen for the answer. Oikawa grins, trying to give off an air of innocence when all that radiates from him is mischief.
“Simple. Mattsun was the tallest one there~.” Kunimi’s fingers stop typing on his phone for a split second as he raises an eyebrow.
“Then why are you so worried? After all, Senpai, you’re not the tallest one here anymore.” Like hounds catching a scent, Oikawa, Hanamaki, and Iwaizumi snap their heads around to Kindaichi, tightening their grip on the decorations in hand. With a deadpan expression, Matsukawa pats him on the shoulder.
“Run.” Kindaichi tilts his head.
“Run? Why?”
“... You’re the tallest.”
“Yeah, but… I love Christmas! Decorate me!” He holds his arms out to the side with a smile of blinding purity, a quiet squeal of glee occasionally bursting into giggles as the rest of the team jump in to decorate him. Matsukawa doesn’t participate, but he does laugh as he gets caught up in the wave of excitement and Christmas cheer, watching as the others wrap their youngest in a merriment of tinsel, garlands, lights, even sticking a wreath around his neck and hanging ornaments from his ears and spiky hair.
By the time the decorating is done, there’s more Christmas than Kindaichi. He still looks happy to be there though, despite the fact he can only see out of one eye thanks to a reindeer shaped christmas ornament hanging over the left one.
“You know… Matsukawa-senpai was right. Tinsel really is itchy.”
“Do you want to take it off?” Matsukawa moves forwards to start unwrapping the tinsel, but Kindaichi shakes his head hard enough that the star on top flies off, almost taking Watari out. Luckily the libero catches it.
“Nope! I’m gonna wear it with pride!”
“... You’re going to get a horrible rash on your arms.” Kunimi snorts, drawing looks of disbelief. Why is he laughing at his best friend getting a rash?! He laughs a little harder.
“Kindaichi the red rash blocker, with his very shiny arms~.” Kunimi can’t even finish his wonderful rendition of rudolph the red nosed reindeer, breaking off with a wheeze.
Silence. Dead silence. Hanamaki is the first to break, snickering into his elbow, but it’s Oikawa’s ugly guffaw that sets everyone else off, although Matsukawa simply rolls his eyes with a quiet chuckle.
Sure, he still hates tinsel, but maybe it’s not so bad to decorate with as long as he’s not the one being covered in it!