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Kageyama's just looking to use the bathroom after a simple practice match with Seijoh. That's all he wants. An easy request, if you ask him. But of course, things can't go his way.
He pushes open the door and instantly stops in his tracks. He's blinded not only by the off-white fluorescence of the cheap school lighting, but also by the spectacle—for lack of a better word— unravelling before him.
Tsukishima—his teammate—firmly clutching the still-damp jersey of Kunimi—his enemy—as the two jam their tongues down each other's throats.
Kageyama's first thought is to look away. His second thought is to run. His third is a bit of a flashback to experiences Hinata had recounted, of the bathroom being a scary place where misfortune befalls those who enter.
Kageyama had thought that was idiotic, the ramblings of a lunatic, but here he is, witnessing something he would definitely classify as unfortunate.
It takes a solid few seconds for the two to realize Kageyama's arrival, though he's sure he made it clear with the opening of the door, and in those few seconds Kageyama finds himself frozen. He can't do much more than watch in shock as Tsukishima continues to pull Kunimi impossibly close, nearly ripping his jersey in the process. Then Kunimi's hands start to wander, reaching up as they toy with the hem of Tsukishima's own jersey. He lets out a little sigh against Kunimi's lips.
That's when Kageyama makes a very uncharacteristic eep from somewhere deep in his chest, and alerts the two to his presence.
In a very obvious panic, Tsukishima pushes Kunimi away. He takes a couple steps back as he pants lightly, he furrows his brows and his golden eyes burn with anger as he glares at the intruder.
Kunimi stares at Kageyama with disinterest, his eyes flicker to Tsukishima but his expression stays calm. Unbothered.
"Care to join?" Kunimi asks monotonously.
"Does the King not know how to knock?" Tsukishima seems able to put aside his shock, to throw away his panic, simply to quip at Kageyama.
"I- uh..." Kageyama wants to say that it's a public bathroom and that he shouldn't have to knock, and that the two of them should probably have locked the door if they cared that much, but what comes out is absolutely nothing like that. His cheeks colour as he continues to stutter out incoherent syllables.
His gut churns within him, swirling around and around as two sets of eyes continue to burn holes through his skull.
Tsukishima clicks his tongue and stalks menacingly over to where Kageyama is still rooted to the floor. Tsukishima places a hand on Kageyama's shoulder. "You have fun with that, I'm going back to our team," He says with a final smirk, before he disappears with a slight slam of the door.
"What he said," Kunimi mumbles. He shoves his hands in his pants and stalks off, making sure to shove Kageyama with his shoulder just slightly.
Kageyama blinks once, twice, as he lets his thoughts collect. What the hell just happened?
•
"You have really shitty taste," Kageyama says bluntly after taking a swig from his water bottle. Him and Tsukishima are standing off to the side, the day after their little match with Seijoh, at evening practice. The two are in a semi-secluded spot, far enough out of everyone's earshot that anything they say shouldn't be overheard.
"You would know about taste, seeing as your million girlfriends are smoking hot." Sarcasm drips sickly sweet from Tsukishima's voice, thick as honey and stinging like acid.
Kageyama opens his mouth, ready to say something that might not be in his best interest, but before he can continue Tsukishima cuts him off.
"Whatever you're going to say, I don't want to hear it. You have no idea how hard it is to find openly gay guys in the area." Tsukishima says plainly.
Kageyama knows what he wants to say is something he should keep to himself, but before he can stop himself his mouth is moving on its own and he's telling Tsukishima, "I liked him too. When we went to school together." It comes out in a hurry, rushed and clipped and hardly even audible. It's a miracle Tsukishima understands at all. But he does, and he clicks his tongue almost appreciatively. Almost.
"Well, I guess you do know how hard it is." Tsukishima chuckles to himself at this observation, at the knowledge that Kageyama suffers just as much as he does.
Though Kageyama would hardly call it suffering. Sure, he's liked guys before, but he has no interest in dating them. Volleyball has his entire heart, and even if he were to have an interest in dating, it would never be with Kunimi. No matter the feelings he'd harboured in the past, he's been over that for ages.
Tsukishima leans against the wall, he cocks his head to the side in a silent invitation for Kageyama to tell him all about how shitty his taste in men is. It's a challenge, and Kageyama isn't going to back down.
"You could do a lot better than Kunimi," Kageyama says with a deep-set scowl. He doesn't mean it as a compliment, he means it as an insult to Kunimi. Even if Tsukishima is a bad guy, Kunimi is worse. But Tsukishima doesn't take it that way.
"Is the King trying to flirt with me? A mere peasant?" Tsukishima sports a purely evil smirk. His eyes shimmer behind his glasses, he's so smug, so damn pleased with himself. Kageyama wants to yell at him, try to get through to him that Kunimi isn't worth his time.
"Don't burst a blood vessel, I don't plan on dating him." Tsukishima drops the smirk, he looks away, turning his gaze back towards practice.
"Whatever," Kageyama grumbles. He's tired of trying to reason with the likes of Tsukishima. He sulks off towards the court, where Hinata is already asking to be set to. It's a welcome distraction.
•
"How'd you even meet him anyway?" Kageyama asks as he walks up to Tsukishima.
The latter leans against the storefront of Shimada Mart, waiting for Yamaguchi and Hinata to be done inside.
"Hello to you, too," Tsukishima sneers. "Through volleyball, obviously."
"You know that's not what I mean," Kageyama replies. He scowls, why does Tsukishima insist on being so difficult?
"Found him online, he's got a pride flag in his bio, so I messaged him," Tsukishima says, oddly honest. "Anything else you need to know about my personal life?" He says it as if it's some awful thing, asking your teammates about their lives. Though it is an odd occurrence between the two of them, Kageyama can admit that much.
"Why him?" Kageyama is genuinely curious. Why would Tsukishima be drawn to a guy like Kunimi?
"I told you already," Tsukishima sighs, "I'm not going to date him. I just wanted some action—" He grimaces at his own word choice, "Before I'm alone for the rest of high school."
"You're not gonna be alone for the rest of high school," Kageyama mumbles under his breath. Once again, he means it as an insult, he means to dig at Tsukishima's lack of self-confidence, but it comes out as a compliment.
The backlighting of the store gives Tsukishima a threatening glow as he stares down at Kageyama. He gives off one of his signature acidic smirks and lets out a little sigh. "If I didn't know better," He drawls, "I'd say you are flirting with me."
"I have something called standards, obviously you don't," Kageyama snaps.
At that very moment, Yamaguchi and Hinata come out of the store, snacks in hand and smiles on their faces. It's almost as if the temperature itself changes. As if the chilled atmosphere that surrounds Kageyama and Tsukishima melts away with the warmth the other two bring. As if the entirety of their bitterness is forgotten in the face of Yamaguchi and Hinata.
"You better not be trying to kill each other again," Yamaguchi says with a little smile.
"Of course they are," Hinata rolls his eyes playfully.
"Obviously," Tsukishima says with a playful punch to Kageyama's shoulder.
"Obviously," Kageyama grumbles.
•
Kageyama's just trying to leave school. It's not a ridiculous request, really simple if he's being honest. But of course Tsukishima has to make it difficult for him.
Kageyama goes out behind the gym, it's a quiet and secluded way to leave the school without too many people seeing him. He likes quiet, it's much more appealing when he's tired from practice and just wants to get home.
He really must have pissed off Lady Luck at some point. The sight he has the misfortune of witnessing again is one he still hasn't managed to get out of his head from last time.
Tsukishima leans against the wall of the gym, hunched over ever so slightly for Kunimi to press upwards into a deep kiss. It's different from the aggressive making out they'd done in the bathroom at Aoba Johsai, it's much more intimate, much more innocent. The two stand completely still, hands in their pockets as if touching each other is forbidden.
Kageyama doesn't make the same mistake as last time, he doesn't allow himself to freeze up. He clears his throat in a grand gesture, a declaration that he's here and he's seen.
The two go even more rigid, something Kageyama hadn't thought possible, and they break apart to stare at him. The panic in their eyes dims after they see it's just him, and annoyance is quick to take its place.
"Didn't get enough last time?" Tsukishima practically spits at him, as though Kageyama is so far below him when in reality only a few inches separate the two.
"Do you get off on this or something?" Kunimi asks, upper lip curling in disgust. Though it seems like an act, like he's trying to cover all the panic he'd felt at being caught.
"Wha- No," Kageyama sputters. "Sorry, I'll just-"
"Walk with us," Tsukishima invites. He furrows his brows at his own outburst, then relaxes his face and nods as if he'd completely meant to say that.
Kunimi looks like he'll protest. He narrows his eyes and looks at Tsukishima for a moment, before turning his gaze back to Kageyama and nodding ever so slightly. A simple tip of the chin as permission.
Kageyama wants to protest. None of them live in the same general area. Kunimi's address swims around in Kageyama's mind, something he would have sworn he'd forgotten until he's reminded of it. He doesn't even know where Tsukishima lives.
Though he doesn't bother voicing his protests. The two of them want him here and it'd be too much work to decline. So he presses his lips tightly shut and the three walk in the direction of the setting sun, by some unspoken agreement. Kunimi on the left, Tsukishima in the middle, Kageyama on the right.
The energy feels a lot different than Kageyama would have expected. With Kunimi it's weird. Because even though they've worked everything out, even though the wounds have scabbed and scarred over, there still are scars. There's still the reminder of what used to be and how it isn't anymore. There's the feeling that every little word, every glance, is the start of something new. They're starting fresh.
And with Tsukishima it's different. He isn't the same Tsukishima he is everywhere else. He doesn't look down at Kageyama like he's a bother and a pest. He doesn't start insulting him the second he opens his mouth. He just looks Kageyama up and down, and gives a thoughtful hum before turning his head forwards once again.
"I don't understand you two," Kageyama says. And even though he can feel the change in attitude towards him, he still half expects Tsukishima to toss an insult his way.
"There's a lot you don't understand, King." On the outside, it's structured like an insult. It makes Kageyama hunch his shoulders slightly as his lips tighten into a frown, but then he hears the tone it was presented in. It seems fond. And Tsukishima is smiling.
Kageyama wants to ask what's that supposed to mean and give an absolutely deadly glare, but for some reason he can't. He's rooted by the whisper of a chuckle Tsukishima breathes out next to him. Instead he grunts out, "We're enemies."
That rips a taunting laugh from somewhere deep in Tsukishima's chest. Kunimi scoffs. The two stare Kageyama down as though he's said the funniest thing the two have ever heard.
"On the court," Kunimi says plainly.
"On the court," Tsukishima agrees.
Kageyama grunts. Obviously he means they're enemies on the court. That's exactly why they shouldn't be doing the things they're doing. Even if they're not dating they're still fooling around.
The silence stretches and Tsukishima stops in his tracks before letting out a grating chuckle. "Does the King not understand there's such thing as off the court?" He teases, though he seems genuinely curious, if only a little.
Kageyama tries to voice his thoughts, "Well...yeah, but...when we get on the court again we're still enemies...so it's just like...pretending to get along when we aren't playing."
"Your life really revolves around volleyball, huh?" Kunimi states—it isn't a question—with a little disbelieving shake of his head.
"Kinda," Kageyama replies, a little embarrassed for no apparent reason. He loves volleyball, and he's never felt bad about that love before. Being around these two has him feeling a little different, they seem to have such large ideas of life off the court and he just can't relate to it.
The three are quickly approaching the turn off where Kageyama and Kunimi should part ways, and Kageyama isn't sure if he feels relieved or disappointed that their time together is coming to a close. They walk in silence until Kunimi pipes up.
"This is where I go." He gestures vaguely in the direction of his house. Tsukishima nods and there's a split second where the two stare at each other's lips and Kageyama is stuck with two thoughts.
The thought that these two may have more to them than just making out occasionally. And the thought that this can't come to an end. That the three of them can't part ways because he'll never get to experience this side of Tsukishima again. And he'll never get to revive what he and Kunimi used to have and he'll never get to improve upon it.
Another split second, in which the two lean slightly closer, lips parting ever so slightly.
"I don't get it," Kageyama blurts out.
Tsukishima and Kunimi stare at him, a tasteful mixture of annoyance and amusement plays across both of their faces.
"Don't get what?" Tsukishima asks.
Kunimi cocks his head to the side.
"You." Kageyama can't look them in the eyes. What is he even saying? "Both of you."
Kageyama finds a sudden interest in his shoes, scuffed and worn as he digs his toe into the sidewalk. He can feel some unspoken agreement pass between the two in front of him.
"Then come with us sometime," Kunimi says, almost reluctantly.
Tsukishima hums in agreement.
Kageyama doesn't have time to process the joy welling in his chest as he agrees with a vigorous nodding of his head.
"Great. Now I'm going home." Kunimi spins on his heel and stalks off without another word.
•
"What happened to not dating him?" Kageyama growls in a hushed tone. Him and Tsukishima are far enough away from everyone else, once again at practice, but Kageyama finds it in his best interest to keep quiet about it.
"Jealous?" Tsukishima asks simply.
"Wha- No!" Kageyama fumes, his cheeks boil and he nearly stomps his foot in annoyance.
"We're not dating." Tsukishima doesn't make eye contact while he says it, almost like he's embarrassed. "Not yet," He mumbles.
Kageyama's cheeks heat just a little. He pretends it's at his own stupidity, for making a bold assumption based on a picture posted to social media the day before.
On a date I guess.
Kunimi had written. He'd been sticking his tongue out, a disinterested look on his face as he snapped a picture of Tsukishima in the background. He sipped on a drink from a straw with a scowl set deep on his face. The two had been holding hands atop a wooden table at a cafe tagged onscreen.
Kageyama saw that picture moments after it had been posted, and smiled to himself. The two looked cute together, as much as he didn't understand how the two could work out.
Come with us sometime.
The offer still hangs in the air. Nestled between the three since their walk home nearly a week ago. None of them had made any attempt to hang out again, but now that Kageyama had seen Kunimi waiting outside the gym for Tsukishima, it seems an opportune time to bring it up.
"Tell him that," Kageyama grumbles as he pushes down his blush, "He's waiting outside for you."
Tsukishima's mouth quirks upwards in the tiniest of smiles. He looks Kageyama right in the eyes, so directly it makes Kageyama's heart skip a beat. Tsukishima smiles at him, really smiles in a full curve of his lips that ignites his eyes with a rare passion. "Come with us today," He offers.
Kageyama feels his lips slipping into a smile as he nods slightly. It would be impossible not to acknowledge the feelings that have been cropping up ever since he was first introduced to the new side of Tsukishima (maybe even before then, but he refuses to acknowledge he could have felt that way for such a jerk). Kageyama finds it nearly impossible not to fall for the much less snarky version of his teammate. The one that offers genuine smiles and little laughs and teases him in a way that's more fond than cutting. A way that is so rid of toxicity that it's refreshing.
The sight of Kunimi doesn't have his heart faring any better. It isn't like he's been spending much time with his old teammate, he's just been thinking about him more often than not. Kageyama's been turning it around in his head, how things used to be. How maybe, now that they've both matured and changed for the better, the two can get along. Kunimi seems like the type of person he could be friends with. Maybe even more than.
But, of course, Kageyama is confident he doesn't want to get in the way of Tsukishima and Kunimi's relationship. Not when the two look so good together, their uninterested and bored faces lighting up with occasional smiles, their lips pressing together and their tongues dancing. The two of them look a lot better together—even if they're not really together—than Kageyama could with either of them.
"Coming?" Tsukishima motions with his head to the locker room.
Kageyama, in his daze, hadn't noticed practice ending around him. There's a little spark in his heart. He's about to go somewhere with Tsukishima and Kunimi.
On a date. Something in his brain whispers to him. He corrects himself. Tsukishima and Kunimi are going on a date. He is third wheeling.
He nearly giggles out loud at the thought. Though why he's so euphoric over the thought of being near two of his friends—he would consider them friends—while they go on a date is beyond him.
Though it is a good feeling.
•
"What's he doing here?" Kunimi asks, not displeased, simply curious. He smiles a little, lazily as he seems to bask in the sunlight that hits him just right along the gym wall.
"Thought it was time to make good on our promise," Tsukishima replies. He walks over to where Kunimi stands.
Tsukishima and Kageyama took their sweet time in the locker room, letting it clear out completely before finishing up and leaving. They didn't get much talking done while in there, so Kageyama hadn't the chance to clear up exactly what they're doing tonight.
Is it a date? Is his main concern.
And, because the three are alone with no one else near, Tsukishima presses a short kiss to the top of Kunimi's forehead. Kunimi's smile widens, showing just the tips of his front teeth before they disappear again.
Kageyama's heart swells like a song coming to its peak. The world feels a little like music to him. He knows how cliché it is, but with the sun illuminating Kunimi's smiling face, and with the way Tsukishima leans over ever so slightly, height difference hardly significant, he feels it's okay to be a little cliché. It's too perfect not to.
Everything feels so perfect, in fact, that Kageyama is more than willing to let himself pretend that this is a date. That he's going out with the two of them as much as they're going out with each other. He lets himself revel in these delusions as the three walk together. Once again with Kunimi on the left, Tsukishima in the middle, and Kageyama on the right.
"Where are we going?" Kageyama asks.
"I was thinking a cafe," Tsukishima replies. "I'm in the mood for a shortcake."
"I want boba," Kunimi says with a slight pout.
Tsukishima gives a whisper of a chuckle and grabs at Kunimi's hand, their fingers intertwining as if the entire thing were planned ahead of time.
It's Kageyama's turn to pout. He's not subtle about his jealousy. But it's not like he wants to take the two's hands away from each other, they look so pleasant, dangling between Tsukishima and Kunimi like that. Kageyama would hate to come between them.
Though, he does know for a fact that Tsukishima has two hands, and it wouldn't exactly be a shame if the other just so happened to find its way into Kageyama's. But, of course, he needs to stop pretending this is a date for long enough to realize that these thoughts are ridiculous.
And these delusions are the exact type of thing that might ruin Tsukishima and Kunimi's relationship before it even gets the chance to really kick-off.
Though, it's really hard to focus on not holding Tsukishima's hand when it's brushing right up against his the entire excruciating walk to a cafe Kageyama's never been to before. Upon reading the sign out front, he recognizes the name from the other day’s post.
He smiles internally at that. Tsukishima and Kunimi are taking him to the same place they took each other on what Kageyama thinks may have been their first real date.
Kageyama offers to get the door, and he pushes it open with a small flourish as bells chime. Tsukishima and Kunimi offer nods of thanks as they enter the creme-painted cafe. With its tan carpets and paintings littering every wall, it has a feeling that can only be described as home away from home.
Kunimi picks a table in the corner and immediately shrinks into the seat closest to the wall.
"Are we not ordering?" Kageyama asks with a scrunch of his brows.
"In a minute." Tsukishima tugs him by the wrist, to the table Kunimi so carefully picked for them.
Kageyama can only panic and feel his cheeks burn as he thinks how dangerously close to holding hands he currently is, with Tsukishima's fingers gripping at his wrist, the base of his palm. He pushes his flush down as he sits directly across from Kunimi, Tsukishima diagonally to the left.
Tsukishima makes brief eye contact with Kageyama, golden gaze so very soft in a way that seems alien on his face. It nearly melts Kageyama's heart. He likes this version of Tsukishima the best, he decides easily. The version of him that comes out only with Kunimi, and only with Kageyama.
Kageyama scowls a little, though he certainly doesn't mean to. He just means to concentrate on what exactly it means that Tsukishima looks at him the same way he looks at Kunimi. Because it's a ridiculous thought but it's true. And Kageyama doesn't understand it. He can't think of a reason it would make sense. Unless—
"Is this a date?" He blurts suddenly. Very loudly. Even slams his palms into the tabletop a little.
If he were even a little more aware of anything other than the three of them he would have been terrified at the idea that people could hear him talking about being on a date. With not one but two people. When all three of them are boys. Thankfully, Kageyama is too absorbed in the moment to care.
Kunimi flinches.
Tsukishima smirks.
The two make eye contact for a short moment before Tsukishima turns his attention back to Kageyama. "It could be, if you want it to."
A bright light seems to envelop Kageyama as he smiles, bringing his eyes to Tsukishima's, then Kunimi's. He wants that very much. He nods.
His heart beats double time in his chest and he feels his entire body heat up.
Kunimi gives a little smile, and brushes his knee against Kageyama's under the table. Tsukishima takes Kunimi's hand in his own, then Kageyama's as well.
"I'm gonna go order, Kageyama what do you want?" Kunimi asks, standing up.
"A glass of milk and..." He glances at the menu, though he can't really process much in all the chaos of butterflies fluttering wildly in his stomach. "A chocolate cake?" He's not sure he has the money to cover it.
Is he supposed to cover someone else's food, too? All of theirs? Who pays for who on a date when there's three people?
Kunimi nods and asks Tsukishima, "Strawberry shortcake and a water?"
Tsukishima nods and Kunimi walks off.
"Really? Milk?" Tsukishima asks. He leans onto his palm, giving a content smile and staring kindly through half lidded eyes.
Kageyama grumbles a little but can't manage to form words because Tsukishima looks so beautiful. In the now-setting sun filtering through the window, his hair shines the same golden as his eyes. His glasses reflect the light like diamonds and he looks so happy just to be here with Kageyama and Kunimi.
Tsukishima sighs and his eyelids slide a little further closed. He squeezes Kageyama's hand and it burns where his fingers touch. "Never thought I'd be going on a date with the King himself."
Hearing him say that it's a date makes Kageyama's face burn. He smiles so wide it hurts and he feels the urge to wave his hands around in an overexcited manner.
"You might make me regret it with that demonic smile," Tsukishima says, lips splitting into the most wonderful grin that's just the right amount of teeth.
"I won't," Kageyama replies, though he keeps smiling his demonic smile as Kunimi returns with his hands full of goodies.
"Are you guys flirting without me?" Kunimi teases, sticking out his tongue as he nearly drops everything at his feet.
"I was telling Kageyama how ridiculous his smile is," Tsukishima says. He takes his cake and water from Kunimi's hands and whispers a 'thank you'.
Kageyama takes his milk and cake and starts sipping idly while Kunimi sits himself back down. He got his drink and nothing else.
Kunimi stares at Kageyama, offers a short smile, then laughs when Kageyama does the same. "You're right, it is ridiculous."
Kageyama sticks his face back in his milk, growling. He hopes it's enough to disguise the smile that continues to spread across his face.
Because he's on a date.
He can't wait to rub it in Hinata's face.
•
"Do you get it now?" Tsukishima asks.
The three relocated to Tsukishima's house after finishing with their food and drink. Tsukishima paid. For all of them. Kageyama and Kunimi had thanked him immensely but his generosity hadn't ended there. He'd taken the two to his house, led them to his bedroom, and plopped down on his bed, motioning the two over.
And that was how they find themselves intertwined in such a position that refuses to give Kageyama's heart a break. He's sure Tsukishima and Kunimi can hear it, and if they can't they can sure feel it.
Kageyama's head is pressed to Tsukishima's chest, his heart pounding into the side of Tsukishima's ribs. Kunimi claims the space in between them, though there isn't much, he lays his head on Tsukishima's stomach, staring up and Kageyama as his fingers trace circles into his inner thigh. Kageyama's hand rests right above Tsukishima's heart, he can feel it beating at a normal pace, and Kunimi's rests a little below, pinkie finger linking with Kageyama's.
Tsukishima places his hand atop the both of theirs seemingly reminding Kageyama to answer the question he posed.
"What do you mean?" Kageyama asks.
"You said you didn't get it," Kunimi replies before Tsukishima gets the chance to.
"Do you now?" Tsukishima asks again.
In truth, Kageyama doesn't get it. Because even if tonight was amazing, even if he wants to do this a million more times and even if he's never quite felt this way before and he definitely wants to keep feeling it, they are still enemies on the court. He doesn't understand how something like that doesn't faze Tsukishima or Kunimi.
He doesn't understand how the three of them can all fit together, because in the end there are three of them.
The things he doesn't understand outweigh the ones he does.
"Tobio?" Tsukishima asks.
Kageyama shivers. The word sounds so foreign coming from that mouth, those lips. But not unpleasant, quite the opposite. He wants to hear it over and over, repeated in that gentle tone.
"Kei," He replies. The word feels like home on his tongue, sweet and pleasant. Like the cake he'd eaten at the cafe. Like the little bite of Tsukishima's shortcake that had been offered to him on a fork that had been touched not only to Tsukishima's lips, but to Kunimi's as well.
Kunimi links their pinkies tighter, determined not to be left out.
"Akira," Kageyama whispers. He can't raise his voice to more than a whisper. His throat encloses with all the things he's feeling, the choice he's being told to weigh out is threatening to choke him.
"Tobio," Kunimi whispers. He presses a kiss to his own finger before resuming tracing little circles onto Kageyama's thigh.
Kageyama buries his face in Tsukishima's shirt. He smells like sweat and soapy deodorant and Kageyama can't get enough of it. "I don't get it," He mumbles, muffled against Tsukishima and even more so by the whisper of the volume he speaks at.
A tense hush falls over the room. Kunimi's finger stops its patterned drawings and Tsukishima's breath hitches.
"But," Kageyama continues quickly, "But I really..." He can't push it out, "I really want to try. To understand. I really want you guys. To date you guys. If that's okay. The two of you. The three of us." Now he's talking just for the sake of it, afraid when he stops there will be that heavy weight and things will never go back to how they were mere seconds before.
"Tobio," Tsukishima says forcefully, with the intent of cutting him off.
There's that shiver down Kageyama's spine again. At the sound of his given name. He shuts up instantly.
"We want you too," Kunimi mumbles. Almost like he's embarrassed. If Kageyama looked up he might see a little flush on his face, but he keeps his face firmly planted in Tsukishima's side.
"The three of us sounds nice," Tsukishima says. He plants a little kiss to the crown of Kageyama's head.
Kageyama smiles at the familiar warmth in his chest. He nuzzles at Tsukishima one last time before peaking his head up to see Tsukishima and Kunimi. His boyfriends. It has a pleasant ring to it, he decides.
Kageyama can't say he understands, but he can say with certainty that he wants to try. As long as it's with these two, he really wants to try.