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Tsukishima wasn’t fond of the night shift, nor did he despise it. The night shift was okay he supposed, there were far worse jobs out there and he was just fine with the one he had currently.
Except now and again he would have headaches while on his shift.
“Ayee!! Tsukki!”
Ah. There it was.
He didn’t even bother to move his head to look at him, just move his golden eyes to steal a lazy glance at the tall man. This man that was now walking around the store with a drag in his step was tall and lean, his hands stuffed in the front pockets of his jeans. He was sporting a regular black t-shirt and faded jeans, casual and boring.
Tsukishima himself had to wear a uniform, but a button-up was the type of semi-casual thing he would wear to any job or formal event.
He could always keep an eye on this particular customer, his hair sticking up so high Tsukishima could see it at any point in the store.
“Anything happening exciting happening for you tonight Tsukki? ‘Cause I have BIG plans tonight!” There was a sly smirk on his face as he practically threw the box of condoms at Tsukishima, the contents of the box sliding around audibly as it slid on the transaction counter he was leaning on.
However Tsukishima just quirked an eyebrow at him. “I’m sorry Kuroo-san, but the extra small condoms are over there.” He pointed him to the direction of the condoms before Kuroo quickly smacked his hand away.
“Haha Tsukki, always quick with a comeback aren’t you.” He looked some-what annoyed, but his features mostly told a story of amusement. “Besides they’re not for me.”
A shiver passed through the blonde. “Yeah and I don’t want to know.”
“It’s for-”
“Don’t want to hear it, Kuroo-san.”
“Actually I have-”
“No thank you.”
My b-”
“Your total is 700 yen.” Tsukishima, desperately trying not to have this conversation pointed to the cash register where the green numbers were displayed.
Fortunately that caused Kuroo to shut up as he dug his hand a little deeper into his pocket before fishing out a very crumpled 1000 yen bill. Placing it on the money tray Tsukishima took it and began to take out his change from the register.
“The total was 700 yen, I received 1000 yen, the amount owed back is 300 yen.” Tsukishima went through the motions all casheers had to as he placed three hundred yen coins in the tray along with his small receipt.
“Thanks Tsukki, I’m going to have fun being fucked tonight.” Kuroo grinned as he stuffed the coins in his pocket and took the box with pride and confidence.
“Please never, ever come again.” He called out as he stalked out of the store with a satisfied look on his face.
Tsukishima left out a heavy sigh as Kuroo left, sagging a bit in his chair. Maybe the night shift was awful if he had to deal with that dumbass every now and again.
No one really came in except for some workers walking home and getting a snack to sustain their journey to their walk home or teens looking for something to fill their endless time. Tsukishima did have things to study for but his crippling sweets addiction would call his attention and he needed money for it.
Hearing the sliding doors open he perked up a bit, after all looking like you want to die isn’t exactly the most welcoming of looks a cashier should dawn.
It was a boy, who looked a bit smaller than he probably was considering his last visitor was Kuroo, who was dressed in mostly black and grey. He had accents of yellow here and there; yellow laces, yellow gloves, yellow kanji printed on his jacket. The most striking amount of yellow he had was on his motorcycle helmet, streaks like lighting or horns of a mythical beast.
“Welcome.” Tsukishima wasn’t entirely sure why he said that considering he didn’t usually, but there was an urge that drew it out of him, like he needed to make sure that this person was real.
Unclasping the strap of the helmet the boy took it off slowly, his green locks of messy hair slowly falling out.
“This thing always messes up my hair…” He muttered to himself, or maybe Tsukishima he wasn’t quite sure, as he put the strap of the helmet on his arm and moved his hands to comb through his hair, detangling it. Upon further inspection half of his hair was tied up in a ponytail, which he took the courtesy of retying so it would be tight again, and a cowlick that didn't seem to stay down no matter what he did.
Settling for that he started to look around the store, a small look of confusion held in his golden eyes. They were a similar color to Tsukishima’s own, but this boy had some sort of softness in them that he couldn’t quite describe. He gave a kind smile to him, the corner of his eyes crinkling and freckles moving, it was a nice smile.
“Uh,...” The boy hesitated before turning his back to Tsukishima, walking down the aisle. Tsukishima got a good look at the design on the back of his leather jacket. There was a circle with a blue mountain on it underneath a constellation that looked familiar to him yet unknown. In the foreground was a golden shrine gate the same color of his eyes.
He didn’t have any more time to soak up the details of the design on his jacket as he had turned around with a can of lemonade in his hand.
“As I was saying before, do you guys sell any french fries?” Tsukishima noted that he didn’t really say anything to him before beside an ‘um’ but decided to keep that thought to himself.
“Yes we do, let me just-”
“Do you have over cooked ones? Or old ones that are soggy and cold by now?”
The blonde had to take a moment to blink once or twice at the request. It was very odd and specific.
“I just like them that way.” He continued with an explanation, moving close to Tsukishima, leaning over the counter. The boy said it almost sheepishly with an airy laughter followed suit by his words, his lips curved in a smile, cheeks rosy. It was all so close to Tsukishima.
Taking a moment he leaned back, not answering the boy as he stood up to check the back room behind the counter. He could’ve sworn he heard him say something along the lines of ‘tall’ as he disappeared to look at the basket of fries he made earlier that shit next to the fryer. He had let them sit in the oil too long as a customer was being overly paranoid about the products they bought and asked him every little question. The fries weren’t fit to be served so he set them side to throw away, guess he forgot the throwing away bit though.
He put the fries in a container, the softness of the fries making them bend over and sag. It looked like a very sad attempt at making a french fry a sunflower.
“Oh good! You do have soggy fries!” For someone who was wearing mostly black and dark colors Tsukishima had a hard time looking at him for how bright he was.
He handed the boy the fries carefully, so as to not drop it’s contents.
“Your total is 500 yen.” Tsukishima said, ringing him up for the 400 yen fries and the 100 yen can of lemonade. Holding his fries in one hand and putting the lemonade on the counter he unzipped a pocket in his jacket, pulling out a 500 yen coin.
“The total was 5oo yen, I received 500 yen, the amount owed is zero yen.” He took the coin from the tray and exchanged it for a receipt.
“I don’t need a receipt, thank you though!” He smiled through a mouthful of fries. When was this guy not smiling? Taking the can he left without another word.
Though Tsukishima swore he saw him look back out of the corner of his eye as he left.
-----
He would come around every now and again, once or twice during his shift. But now he would come every night, the span of when he was there lasting from five minutes to an entire hour.
What he bought became more obscure too. At first they were simple, always the fries but sometimes a bag of chips, a drink, some onigiri, usual snack stuff. Now he would buy weird things that had no relevance or need to him like business magazines or a single egg. Though Tsukishima said no to the egg one and told him he had to buy a dozen. Which he did.
Tonight was more or less the same as it had been the last couple of weeks. The boy, always his hair in a ponytail, always with the same classic leather jacket, always a motorcycle hanging from his arm, browsing through the beauty section, perusing the lipstick. Tsukishima had his chin resting on his palm, watching the boy.
He’s resorted to call him biker boy in his own mind since he’s never bothered to ask him his name. Biker boy did know Tsukishima's name though, he had to wear a name tag at work. Like Kuroo, he called him Tsukki too. Unlike Kuroo, however, the way it rolled off his tongue was sweet and nice. Whenever Kuroo called him ‘Tsukki’ his skin would crawl with annoyance.
“This one! I’d like to buy this Tsukki!” He slapped down dark red, almost purple lipstick in front of him. Tsukishima looked up at him with a slightly amused look on his face, a small smile creeping its way onto his face.
“Are you sure? Lipstick is quite expensive.”
“It’s a good price to pay to look beautiful.”
Tsukishima let out a little snort as he scanned the lipstick. He had noticed that the boy wore a bit of eyeshadow along with some sharp eyeliner so lipstick wasn’t actually that far fetched of a purchase. “That’ll be 16oo yen.”
He took out a 2000 yen bill and placed it on the tray, already taking the lipstick and uncapping it and walking to one of the store's mirrors.
“The total was 1600 yen. I received 2000 yen. The amount owed is 400 yen.” he placed the change on the exchange tray, pushing it outward for when he came back.
“So how do I look?” He came back with a closed mouth smile, the dark lipstick matching up well with his skin tone.
“Goth.”
“Mean!” He laughed, putting the change in his jacket pocket.
“It matches you.” Tsukishima offered it as a compliment.
“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
The boy rolled his eyes, the smile always on his face.
“See you tomorrow Tsukki!” He said as he excited out of the store, moving to put his helmet back on as he did so. Tsukishima returned it with a lazy smile and a wave.
Unfortunately his luck seemed to turn sour as someone he would rather not see ever walked in as the biker boy walked out.
“You look happy Tsukki, did you finally get that stick out of your ass.”
“Go to hell Kuroo you’re making my day horrible.” He groaned, placing his head on the counter.
“Awe I didn’t know I had that much of an effect on you, I’m honored!” He snorted as he went to the drink section, his hands lingering from place to place to find a drink. Tsukishima only just grunted in response.
“What kind of drink do you think Sawamura would want?” He looked back to see Tsukishima still resting his head on the counter.
“Why do you still call him Sawamura if you’re dating? And I don’t know, green tea? A protein shake?”
“It’s kinda a running gag between us from our captain days.” He shrugged, picking out a green tea for Daichi and peach calpico for himself.
“Who was that anyway? The pretty boy leaving the store?” Kuroo put the drinks down on the counter. “He must be someone if he can make you of all people smile.”
“I actually smile more than you think, you just make it hard.” Tsukishima retorted as he began to scan the drinks.
“Well still, he makes you happy. Who is he?”
“I don’t know-Your total is 4oo yen.”
“You don’t know? Bullshit.”
Tsukishima’s movements stalled a bit in thought. “He shows up here everyday buying the weirdest things and then leaves. I don’t know his name though.”
“Seriously you coward? Just ask him for it already.” Kuroo put his amount owed in the tray.
“You gave me 500 yen. You get 100 back, get out of my sight.” he threw the 100 yen coin at Kuroo.
“Oh shit I must’ve really ticked you off. Why does a boy as cute as him hang out with you?”
“He doesn’t come in for me, he comes to buy something.”
“But you said he comes in to buy weird things.” Kuroo took his 100 yen and stuffed it in his pocket, grabbing the two bottles off the counter. “So I’m pretty sure he comes for you.”
“Say hi to Daichi-san for me.” Tsukishima sighed in his palm as the other just rolled his eyes and left, a smile on his face. Not a sweet smile that made the air seem to dance around him like Biker boys, but a sinister one that lacked regret.
----
“Why do you come here everyday? To buy useless junk?”
A week had passed since he’d seen Kuroo and the question had been so persistent in his mind. Not wanting to waste any more energy on it he decided to ask. The boy paused and looked tentative.
“Oh wow I never thought you’d actually ask.” His soft chuckle hit the air, a hint of embarrassment embedded in it. Nonetheless Tsukishima waited patiently for the answer.
He straightened himself out from where he was, looking at the Shonen manga section. He took this week's issue and walked over to Tsukishima, placing the book in front of him.
“That’ll be 400 yen.” Even though he was waiting for a reply he still had to do a job.
“To be honest Tsukki..” He placed the money on the tray before staring at Tsukishima with honest eyes. “I really just wanted an excuse to see you.”
The blonde didn’t react. Just...observed so to speak. The boy in front of him had hopeful yet fear filled eyes, darting around the floor, the corner of his lip being bitten, his hair messy from his helmet, it was a lot for Tsukishima to take in, even if he’d seen him plenty of times by now.
“Oh.” Was all he managed to wheeze out of his still lungs, he didn’t even notice he’d stopped breathing.
“Ahaha, I’m sorry if that’s a little weird. I could try to stop but it’ll be hard-”
“I like seeing you too.” Tsukishima only focused on the transaction he was performing, getting a 100 yen coin out of the register.
“The total was 400 yen. I received 500 yen. The amount owed is 100 yen.”
“If you like seeing me too does this mean I can stop buying weird things just as an excuse?” His voice sounded so small as he pocketed his change.
There was a long pause and a silence between the both of them.
“I might lose my best customer but yeah.” There was a warm smile on his face that felt foriegn but good.
“Well your best customer's name is Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi Tadashi.” He smiled. “I like motorcycles and yellow.” His name would explain the design on the back of his leather jacket.
“Is this ice breakers in primary school?” Tsukishima questioned, his tone light. “I’m Tsukishima Kei. I like sweets.”
“Huh. Never took you for someone who likes sweets.”
“I got this job so I could buy more.”
Yamaguchi’s laugh was airy and fast, like bells jingling in the wind. Tsukishima might not admit it outloud but it was one of his favorite sounds.
“If it’s not too much to ask, do you think we could hang outside your job?”
Another pause between the two of them.
“I get off at 1 am, wouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“1 am is the optimal time to tear up the streets, so no.” Tear up the streets? Besides that being hideous 50’s slang it was hard to imagine Yamaguchi being all menacing and fast on something as dangerous as a motorcycle.
“I wouldn’t mind if-” Tsukishima was terrible at thinking flirts through. “-if you showed me around town.”
To that a dangerous smile spread on Yamaguchi’s face. “Then it’s a date, see you then Tsukki.” He left the shonen manga on the counter as he walked out, definitely giving Tsukishima a glance this time as he left.
He knew he was going to die once he finished work. He just wasn’t sure if it was going to be from a motorcycle accident or from the amount of butterflies erupting from his stomach.