Work Text:
The first thing Yamaguchi saw when Kei came home was the bright lamp in the living room flashing on. He didn’t hear him creep in, didn’t hear him close the door softly behind him, didn’t see his shadow on the door. He awoke to the lamp’s light in the living room, and most likely a sleepy Kei reading over the page of a book.
In the event that he did wake up when Kei arrived, he didn’t always acknowledge his arrival, too tired to pull himself out of bed and carry out a conversation at such ungodly hours of the morning. Most of the time, he’d quickly fall back to sleep after turning around or mutter a quiet ‘ Hi’, hoping it’d reach Tsukishima before he drifted off again.
Perhaps it was because of how often he’d been coming home later and later this week, or because Yamaguchi grew more and more worried when Kei stopped sending him texts saying he was going to be late. But, he couldn’t fall back asleep thinking of how little time I’ve spent together in the last month.
If he was being honest, it was frightening. Going from spending lots of time with Kei to sharing brief meals in the morning and dinners only sometimes at night. It made Yamaguchi feel… empty.
He was happy with his job at the electronics company, and Kei loved his job at the museum. But, despite being roommates their schedules just never seemed match up anymore.
“Tsukki?” Yamaguchi called out from his room, rubbing his eyes and he slowly sat up. No response.
“Tsukki?” he called again quietly, feet hitting the cold ground as he dragged himself from the comfort of his bed and into the living room. He leaned against the doorframe, watching the boy slowly turn the pages. Just as he’d suspected.
“You’re awake,” he finally said, flitting his eyes to Yamaguchi for a second before going back to his book.
“Where were you?” the man asked with a yawn.
“Working,”
“At the museum again?” The blonde nodded. Yamaguchi waited for a comment about stating the obvious, but none came.
“Oh,” Yamaguchi said, walking to sit next to the boy. He brought his knees to his chest, scooting closer to Tsukishima. Yamaguchi studied the blonde for a few seconds, the bags under his eyes, his messy hair, and his pale skin.
They stayed like this for a few minutes in silence. The only sound was the turning of pages or the gentle sound of shuffling against the cloth of the couch.
“You should go to sleep,” Tsukishima finally said, closing his book gently and placing it on his lap.
“I’m not tired,” Yamaguchi lied, resting his head on his knees.
“Yes you are,” Tsukishima said with a sigh.
“You’re tired too,” Yamaguchi pointed out, sitting up and turning his head to look at Tsukishima. The boy let out a small laugh, which really just sounded like a hmph .
“Fine,” Tsukishima said, placing his book on the nightstand softly.
“Wait! Have you eaten yet? Do you want dinner?” Yamaguchi asked.
“First of all, I had a late lunch at around 5. Second, it’s 1 in the morning,” Tsukishima replied, giving him an amused look.
“Do you want a midnight snack then?” Yamaguchi asked, tilting his head. He didn’t expect Kei to say yes, which was why a surprise when he saw the boy considering it.
Tsukishima was quiet for a few minutes before getting up, looking at Yamaguchi expectantly.
“I’ll make you an egg!” Tsukishima looked unimpressed, “oh, and I just bought some strawberries, I can wash them!” Tsukishima’s head perked up at the promise of strawberries and Yamaguchi could tell he was smiling.
Yamaguchi got up quickly from his spot on the couch, watching as Kei made his way to their small kitchen. He took out the butter, eggs, and the small box of strawberries. Yamaguchi opened up a cabinet, pulling out a small colander while Tsukishima took out a pan.
“Fried?” he asked, looking at Yamaguchi.
“Yeah,”
They worked in a comfortable silence, Yamaguchi washing the strawberries and Tsukishima frying two eggs.
“I thought you were going to be making the eggs,” Tsukishima says as cracks pepper over the eggs, adding a little bit of salt.
“Oh, sorry, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi squeaked as he placed the colander filled with strawberries on the counter, rushing to his friend’s side.
“I got it,” Tsukishima said, as the other boy reached for the wooden spatula in his hand.
“Give me the wood-thing,” Yamaguchi demanded.
“What ‘wood-thing’? There are a lot of ‘wood-things’ we have, Yamaguchi. You’re going to need to be more specific,” Tsukishima said, lips twitching upward into a smirk.
“The.. the one you’re holding,” Yamaguchi said, pointing to it. Tsukishima opened a drawer, pulling a wooden spoon out, handing it to Yamaguchi.
“There you go,”
“I didn’t mean… You know what you’re doing!” Yamaguchi said, crossing his arms and giving the other boy the meanest look he could muster. He carefully put the wooden spoon back into its drawer.
“I honestly don’t know what you want,” Tsukishima said, smirk still apparent, “if you want something, just take it,”
The locked eyes, silently challenging one another.
In an instant, Yamaguchi lunged at the hand Tsukishima held the spatula in. Tsukishima stepped back, holding the spoon high above his head, a smug look on his face.
Curse his height , Yamaguchi thought as he jumped again, trying to grab it. He tried multiple times, jumping and trying to grab the stupid ‘what’s-its-name’. He accidently stepped on Tsukishima’s foot, causing the other boy to wince as he muttered a ‘Sorry, Tsukki’ before immediately trying again.
“You know... you’re being immature,” Yamaguchi said, slightly panting from the impromptu exercise. He let out a laugh as Tsukishima still held the wooden… kitchen utensil above his head.
Tsukishima’s face was flushed with a dull pink from laughter and his eyes slightly crinkled, smiling at him. It wasn’t his usual smirk, it was a genuine smile. A rare one. One that only got used when they were alone.
It made Yamaguchi feel warm, really warm. He liked seeing Tsukishima like this. Carefree. Happy. Smiling. Even if it was at ungodly hours of the night.
They were standing closer than they’d usually stand, Yamaguchi’s head slightly tilting up to look Tsukishima in the eye. The both were breathing slightly heavily from their game, smiling at one another.
In a split second, the air around them changed, turning warmer. Yamaguchi gently licked his lips, looking down before looking back up to find Tsukishima still looking at him. Neither of them moved away or closer.
Yamaguchi saw Tsukishima’s eyes move slowly down his face before stopping at his lips, resting there for a few seconds before he looked back at his eyes. He saw his head tilt, eyes half lidded and, god , Yamaguchi just wished he wo-
“Immature?” Tsukishima finally breathed out, slightly raising an eyebrow. He sounded breathless as he stepped back a little, putting a few more inches of space between them.
The moment was over. Yamaguchi wished he’d enjoyed that moment more thoroughly.
“Yeah,” Yamaguchi said, red tinting his cheeks at his thoughts as he nodded, “ And I- Oh god, we forgot about the eggs,” Yamaguchi said, his eyes widening as the reason they were in the kitchen came back to him.
“The eggs,” Tsukishima said, eyes quickly darting to the slightly burnt eggs.
“Oh no,”
“ Shit ,” Tsukishima quickly turned off the stove, looking disappointed at the two very well-done eggs that were quite brown around the edges.
“They look edible,” Yamaguchi offered.
“Yeah,” Tsukishima said with a sigh, the smile from earlier still lingering on his face.
“I’ll get some plates,” Yamaguchi said, opening a cabinet to take out two plates as Tsukishima got the forks and glasses. Yamaguchi cut the egg ( finally getting the wooden-device Tsukishima had hoarded) so they would each have a somewhat equal portion.
Tsukishima handed him the plates so he could serve the eggs. He gave Tsukishima the slightly bigger piece, smiling when the other boy didn’t comment about getting more. They sat on the bar stools placed next to their table/kitchen counter. The colander of strawberries were in front of them, pristine and definitely more appealing than the eggs in front of them.
They ate their eggs quietly taking small bites, glancing at one another every few seconds. They were eating slower than they normally would. Both of them knew it. Both of them wanted this moment to last longer. Both of them missed spending time together like this.
Yamaguchi knew both of them were adults, and that they both had lives and that they both had responsibilities. But he couldn’t help but feel his insides tighten whenever he remembered that something like this wouldn’t happen for a while. He hated how temporary it felt.
It felt like there was an invisible timer above them, counting down the seconds until this moment ended. Just waiting, and waiting un-
“I’ve missed this,” Tsukishima said softly, smiling as he gently cut a small piece of egg off with his fork. Yamaguchi’s head snapped up, his train of thought cutting off as he stared at the blonde. Tsukishima’s mouth fell open slightly, his eyes widening and face slightly blushing as if he wasn’t sure if he had said that out loud or not.
“Me too,” Yamaguchi said, gently bumping his knee against Tsukishima’s. They ate the rest of their meal without talking, the silence comfortable.
Their empty plates laid in front of them, prompting them to put them in the sink and end this impromptu meal. This was it, Yamaguchi thought. This is going to end and now we’re going to have to go back to barely seeing one another.
“Strawberry?” Tsukishima asked, moving the colander closer to Yamaguchi. His voice was calm, but his eyes looked as if they were pleading Yamaguchi to take one too. It was as if they both knew what would happen if they put the dishes away and went to bed; even though neither of them wanted to say it.
“Thanks,” Yamaguchi said, relief apparent in his voice as he grabbed one. Tsukishima made a noise of surprise as he bit into one with his front teeth.
“Hm?” Yamaguchi asked, tilting his head.
“Cold,” Tsukshima explained.
“Well, obviously, Tsukki. They were in the fridge,”
“I just wasn’t expecting it. They don’t feel too cold. I like them better cold,” he said, shrugging as he finished the strawberry.
“They don’t feel cold because your hands are always freezing,”
“They’re not always freezing,” Tsukishima scoffed. Without thinking, Yamaguchi reached over, squeezing Tsukishima’s hand lightly, the coolness shocking him slightly. Long, cold fingers slowly curled around Yamaguchi’s hands, gently squeezing. The touch surprised Yamaguchi, sending small sparks up his arm.
“See,” Yamaguchi said, slightly breathless from the touch, “cold hands,”
Tsukishima uncurled his hands slightly and Yamaguchi was quick to follow, bringing his hand back, not wanting to push his luck. Tsukishima let out a sound of annoyance at Yamaguchi’s statement, reaching his hand back into the bowl to take out another strawberry. Yamaguchi took a small bite of the strawberry, wincing at the slight taste of sourness.
“Sour,” he said, shivering from the taste.
“I prefer to use the word ‘tart’” Tsuskishima said, taking another bite.
“These would be delicious in a tart,” Yamaguchi said. He glanced at Tsukishima, a look in his eyes.
“We’re not making a tart tonight,” Yamaguchi’s face fell, slowly turning back to the counter.
“But,” Tsukishima said, as he saw the boy’s disappointed face, “maybe this weekend. We can buy the ingredients and find a recipe,”
“Ok, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi said, immediately perking up again.
“Tch, you’re so energetic in the morning,”
“Sorry,” Yamaguchi said sheepishly. Tsukishima had often expressed dislike for those who were too excited or loud, especially if it was early in the morning or late at night.
“Are you comfortable in that?” Yamaguchi asked, gesturing to Tsukishima’s work outfit.
“Mostly, I was going to take a shower and change after reading but…” he trailed off, motioning towards their empty plates and the strawberries.
“Oh,” The ate in silence, or rather Yamaguchi watched Tsukishima eat the strawberries slowly. Taking small bites and letting them sit in his mouth as he slowly chewed and then swallowed.
“Today,” Tsukishima began, reaching his hand in the bowl for another strawberry, “one of my coworkers was making it a point to tell everyone that the floor was wet and that we could slip if we weren’t careful. He was being annoying and saying every five seconds. Someone called his name and he turned around and ran on the wet floor. He slipped and fell on his back,”
Yamaguchi couldn’t help but snort, which turned into a full-on giggle. It was terrible, and he really didn’t think it was funny that someone got hurt, but he couldn’t help but laugh.
“It’s terrible that you’re laughing at someone else’s pain. When he fell, I went up to him and warned him that the floor was wet,” Tsukishima deadpanned, the edges of his mouth threatening to curl upwards. This only made Yamaguchi laugh harder, clutching his stomach
“Y-You..I’m terr...terrible?” Yamaguchi asked between laughs, he could feel water leaking out from the corner of his eyes.
“Yes, you’re terrible,” Tsukishima said with no spite, “and you’re still laughing,”
Tsukishima watched the boy laugh, clutching his stomach, leaning slightly forward and he gasped for breath. He watched pinkish blush travel across his face, highlighting his freckles and nose.
When Yamaguchi calmed down, they continued talking, Tsukishima polishing off half the strawberries as they talked.
“Do you have work tomorrow?” Tsukishima asked, placing yet another strawberry stem onto his place.
“Yeah, don't you?” Yamaguchi replied with a sigh. Tsukishima pulled his phone out from his pocket, glancing at the time.
“Yes, and it’s half past two,” Neither of them moved, not really acting about how early in the morning it was or how hard it would be to pull themselves out of bed.
Tsukishima couldn’t help but notice how the other boy kept yawning (which, annoyingly, was causing him to yawn too) and how he kept rubbing his eyes. He felt selfish for keeping Tadashi up. He felt selfish for purposefully turning on the living room light in hopes the boy would wake up. He felt selfish for wanting so, so much more than they already had.
When he looked at Tadashi under the overly-bright cheap kitchen lights, he couldn’t help but feel his chest ache. Couldn’t help but let himself smile. Especially when Yamaguchi was looking at him, with those bright, tired eyes nibbling at a strawberry idly, humming softly.
Tsukishima was the first one to move.
He grabbed his plate and glass, moving both to the counter next to the sink. He threw the strawberry stems in the garbage and washed his hands before sitting back down. He glanced at Yamaguchi, finding sad eyes and a frown. Both were gone in a second as he stood up, bringing his plate to rest next to Tsukishima’s.
Keeping himself busy, Tsukishima grabbed the pan and the wooden spatula, handing them to Yamaguchi who put them in the sink, filling the pan with water.
“Are you going to bed?” Yamaguchi asked, turning towards him when he was done.
“No, I’m running away and joining the circus,” Tsukishima responded flatly.
“You’d definitely do tightrope-walking and juggling,” Yamaguchi said, smiling. They were standing close again, not as close as they were before, but close enough for Tsukishima to count the freckles on his face.
“Really? I see myself as more of a unicyclist,” Tsukishima muttered subconsciously stepping slightly closer to Tadashi.
They were standing close again, Tadashi’s head tilted slightly up toward him, and Tsukishima’s tilted slightly downward, looking each other in the eye.
He watched as Tadashi’s lips slightly parted and got closer, so close that he could smell the strawberry shampoo used. So close their foreheads were almost touching. So close he could count Yamaguchi’s breaths.
Part of him wanted to stop, take a step back. Part of him wanted to knock sense into himself, look at what this could do to their friendship. Part of him was hesitating, unsure of what to do.
He felt warm hands brush his cold ones softly. The warmth was also shocking and he gently laced their fingers together. It felt so calming and normal, as if they’d been doing it forever. He saw Tadashi look up at him in surprise that slowly melted into a soft smile.
He wanted to chase the warmth he felt, he wanted to catch it and never let it go. He felt dizzy with emotions he didn’t even know he possessed as Tadashi gently squeezed his hands.
He gently tilted his head, glancing at Tadashi for a second, watching as the boy’s eyes fluttered shut, before gently placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth, squeezing the other boy’s hand.
It lasted a second at most, over in nearly a blink, so Tsukishima kissed him again, more sure of himself this time. He let himself rest there for a few seconds, enjoying the warm, soft feeling of the boy’s lips against his own.
When they parted, he let his forehead rest against Tadshi’s, eyes still closed.
Tsukishima’s felt his own heart beating steadily in his chest, it was a reminder that everything that had happened was real.
He finally leaned back after what felt like hours, gently squeezing the other boy’s hand. Tadashi yanked his hands up, keeping his head tilted slightly down as he wiped his eyes. Tsukishima felt himself freeze, standing still as he watched the other boy swipe at his eyes.
“Are you crying?” Tsukishima asked hesitantly.
“Hmp,” was the only response he got.
“I’m sorry,” he replied robotically, feeling himself tense up.
“I’m happy!” Tadashi cried, wrapping his arms tightly around Tsukishima’s middle, burying his face into his neck. He wrapped his arms around the other boy gently.
“Stupid,” Tsukishima said, holding him a little tighter.