Work Text:
Tanaka was a very observant person. More than people like to give him credit for. So it was partially understandable to him. To know everyone on his team was in an active relationship. Yet none of them realized any of the other couples on the team. Since they was so absorbed in their own relationship.
Shimizu was with Yachi;A guy from the tennis club named Owjara was with Ennoshita; then there was Narita with Kinoshita; Coach Ukai with Takeda; obviously Sugawara with Daichi; his bust bud Nishinoya with Asahi; Tsukishima with Yamaguchi; Hinata with Kageyama; and even his sister with Tsukishima brother. The only straight relationship he knew, and it seems that she was trying to keep this a little secret from him too.
Tanka at age sixteen has never in his life felt so lonely and left out. Though he kept up with the smiles and his own way of showing them support. The bickering and teasing and of course standing up and scaring the crap out of guys that messed with his friends. Tanaka just had a kind soul.
Tanaka did use to have a terrible crush on his best friend Nishinoya. Covering up the fact by fawning over Shimizu when he first meet her. Tanaka was sure Nishinoya did the same to cover up the fact that he had a heart pounding crush on their ace Asahi. Sure he was a little heart broken. Though he decided to be supportive and stand firmly by that decision. He had soart of a thing on Ennoshita for a while. Finding out about his relationship didn't hurt as much. So his attraction towards Shimizu only grew.............
Who ended up with Yachi. To show his support towards them he died down his affections and declarations to her. In place for smiling and complementing her a bit to not seem out the ordinary. He had to respect that she was in a relationship after all.
It didn't help that him and Nishinoya hung out less. Though he couldn't blame him of course he was in a relationship after all. He didn't hold nor grudges or I'll wills at all. He could never do such a thing. It was cute that his friend was in love. All of his teammates relationships where cute and adorable. It made him smile that they had someone. Especially his sister.
So he didn't get why he had an empty hole in his chest. Where he was sure his heart was supposed to be. Or why he felt hallow enough. That when he got home in the confinements of his room his smile faded away. A disgustingly churning feeling in his gut. As his dull eyes stared at the ceiling.
Lights off and curtains closed. So he could let the darkness of his room comfort him. Letting his mind wonder off into words and things he couldn't understand.
He just get why he felt so alone.........