Chapter Text
Yamaguchi Tadashi and Tsukishima Kei had never really needed things like smalltalk to be contempt around each other. For people passing by it must look awkward seeing two boys barely out of highschool just sit in quiet at a caffe, but when he was with Tsuki, the brunette didn't care too much about it. His mind was preoccupied anyway. The silence really wasn't unusual for them. His best friend not finishing his food wouldn't have been either, but the blond hadn't even touched the shortcake or the espresso. Yamaguchi snuck worrying glances but didn't push it, while the other stared off unreadable indifference firm on his face. Yama was halfway through his slice of cheesecake and currently emptying the sweetened Latte Macchiato in front of him when Tsuki's eyes passed him and stopped a little longer than usual, before he lowered his gaze to his plate.
"I'm in", was all he said, but it was enough to make Yamaguchi choke in surprise. He coughed it off and took the moment to fit the mood these past days to the new information. When Tsukishima had come back from Tokyo all closed off, he had decided not to bug him about it. Failure wasn't easy to stomach at times and he knew for Tsuki that applied even more, especially when he, much to his own distaste, cared about it. Well that had been the explanation Yama had concluded… proven wrong, he couldn't help the confusion. If the try out hadn't gone bad, what else was it? It wasn't exactly his first priority right now, he was just really glad for his friend.
"Tsukki, that's awesome!" The brunette beamed, voice low enough not to carry beyond their table, but his smile shone bright in a way it only did for Tsuki. The blond just picked up his drink sipping the bitter black, that Yama knew would have him making a face; he had tried it once. Tsuki was unfazed though and finally picked up the fork still not looking at the freckled. Yama's smile dropped a little concern creeping onto his face. "You will go, right?", Yama asked studying the tense concentration with which the taller took a first bite of his favourite cake. "You have to, Tsukki! You worked so hard for...!"
"Shut up, Yamaguchi", the other interrupted, no sharpness, just his signature way of telling the freckled he didn't want to hear it. Yama mumbled his usual apology and let it go. After another bite the blond finally looked up. "I'll have to move to Tokyo." Worry wasn't easy to read from Tsuki's face if it even showed at all, but in that moment Yamaguchi caught a glimpse of it.
He leaned forward a little, reaching out underneath the table and brushing over the other's knee. Tsukishima stared at him for a solid second before continuing to eat, his face softening just a little, as his free and found Yama’s. Yama smiled reassuringly and gave it a faint squeeze. A moment later both of them let go to get back to eating but the tension between them had eased a little.
Yama missed that feeling. The unique connection he had felt with Tsuki’s hand in his and the ease of just being with the friend he had known since middle school. He had other friends now, unlike back then, but it wasn’t quite the same. Of course it wasn’t. Tsuki and him had grown into more than friends… they had never bothered with giving it a name, but they both knew what it was. Had been.
Now Yamaguchi was leaning against a railing in the back of the stands of the Sendai City Areena and he hadn’t told anyone he’d be there. There were a lot of people around that he knew, not only on the court but in the audience. Yachi was sitting somewhere for sure and if she knew he was here she'd probably be a little mad before overthinking everything and worrying far too much. It's why he couldn't tell her in particular. She'd understand of course, but he just needed to do this on his own. He needed to give himself the option to leave without disappointing anyone but himself.
He needed to figure out why he was almost too scared to run, yet couldn't take his eyes off of Tsuki, as his team entered the heavy cheers of their fans in their back.