Chapter Text
***
"Your set was low" Shirabu said, bluntly.
"It was fine, I'm actually trying to give my team mates easy balls" Semi replied, the sound of his eyes rolling could almost be heard in his tone.
"Good to know. Hey maybe if you listened to criticism you wouldn't get benched" Shirabu snickered
"The fuck you just say?" Semi spat, walking up to Shirabu's smaller frame
"Semi dude chill" Reon said, trying to hold his friend back
Shirabu snickered at the reaction he got. He loved teasing his upperclassman, especially since Semi pretty much always seemed like he didn't care about anything. He smirked, whilst anger filled Semi's body, his blood boiling at the sight of the smaller boy getting the best of him.
"Hey kids" said a bubbly voice, Tendou's taller stature stepping into the gym. He noticed the tense atmosphere he walked into and easily started to diffuse the tension.
"If you're done measuring sizes, let's keep practising. I can't wait to see the look on Nekoma's faces when we OBLITERATE THEM YEAHHHHH" Tendou yelped
"You're too loud" Semi sighed, shrugging away from Reon who had been holding him back.
"Lighten up Semi Semi! Aren't you excited? Only 1 more day for the rematch they insisted on because we totally smashed them last time" Tendou grinned, prancing around his platinum blonde friend.
"You should go home. It's late." A deep, plain voice echoed through the gym halls
"MOtHER FUCKER" Reon screeched, jumping into Semi, knocking him down to the floor
Ushijima just stood in the door way, no reaction present on his features.
"Sorry Ushijima-san we were just leaving" Shirabu piped up, grabbing his bag and walking off
Semi shrugged Reon off of him and did the same, stepping out of the door into the dark, cool night. He lugged his gym bad over his shoulder, and his guitar on his back in its case.
"You want me to walk with you, you're carrying a lot" Reon offered
"Nah it's okay, thanks bro" Semi replied. They fist bumped as they both went in separate directions and started walking home like they should've done hours ago.
***
Semi inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling his lungs as he felt the blue tinted moonlight scatter on his face. The lamp posts sliced the otherwise impenetrable darkness, illuminating the path home. He reach into his pocket, searching for his earphones when he heard a light shuffle behind him. He felt alert instantly, spinning around to see Shirabu standing there, a look of embarrassment etched into his features as if he's been caught.
Which, he sort of had been.
Semi smirked under the luminescence of the lamp, and Shirabu realised that, had he not known who the boy in front of him was, he definitely would have felt intimidated.
They stood there, a pregnant pause deafening them both.
"Yeah I get it you're obsessed but following me home seems a bit much don't you think?" Semi said, faking a yawn and staring at his kouhai.
"Don't flatter yourself, I'm the one that left first" Shirabu replied, almost too fast for his own liking
"And yet I'm ahead? Right I forgot you're small legs can onl- OW" Semi yelped, as a sound of something cracking left Semi's guitar case
Shirabu had thumped his back- it seemed so half-hearted it could almost be affectionate, but his eyes filled with concern as he heard the noise.
Semi grabbed his guitar case, checking to see if his instrument was damaged. To his relief it was fine, but cracked guitar pics now decorated the interior.
Shirabu eyes his upperclassman, feeling regret build up in him. Teasing him and actually hurting him felt...different. But why? His stupid instrument was fine and the picks could be easily replaced.
"Uh Semi I'm-
"Don't worry about it" Semi replied, walking off at a pace Shirabu couldn't keep up with. Leaving him alone in the dimly lit spot.
Shirabu didn't know what he was supposed to be feeling, but didn't waste time trying to understand it, and instead starting walking home.
***
Semi lay in the covers of his bed, burying his head in a pillow while he groaned. He was exhausted, angry and unbeknownst to anyone else- extremely nervous. The match had been on his mind for a while and he was overthinking the outcomes like he usually did. He had faith in his team, and Coach had actually been giving him more chances to play in matches again, though he didn't know why. Semi sighed again, changing out of his shirt into a baggy graphic tee and sitting on his desk to do his homework. His dad was out for the night but he didn't feel like doing anything, so he tried to distract himself with his textbook.
"Your set was too low"
God those words stung. How dare his junior be so disrespectful?
Was it disrespectful if he was right?
He grabbed a pen and started taking the notes he needed, mindlessly drumming his left finger on his thigh. He finally started to get into his work mode before his phone went off
~ping~
"Fuck sake what now ", Semi muttered
K. Shirabu:
sorry about your guitar thingies
Semi didn't know why a slight smile escaped his lips instead of a scowl. Maybe it was just the idea of his disrespectful kouhai finally being humbled.
E. Semi:
told you not to worry about it.
stress isn't good for growth
K. Shirabu:
you're barely 3 inches taller than me
E. Semi:
3 inches is a lot
for you i'm guessing
K. Shirabu:
what the fuck-
you're so disgusting
Semi smiled at his phone, loving the idea of Shirabu getting pissed off. He was already bored of his work, and he knew he would be fine regardless of whether he did it or not. He figured it wouldn't hurt to talk to his kouhai for a little longer.
E. Semi:
my bad forgot you're too young for this stuff
K.Shirabu:
huh
what stuff
E. Semi:
i-
K.Shirabu:
you-
He felt the conversation fading and didn't know why it bothered him. He didn't know having a normal conversation with someone who he only ever argued with could feel so satisfying. he didn't even think about his replies or his nerves about the match.
Just about how easy it felt for words to come to him when Shirabu wasn't getting on his nerves.
*INCOMING CALL FROM K.SHIRABU*
Semi stared at his phone, confused for a second before reaching the press the answer button. Before he could, the call ended, leaving him confused.
K.Shirabu:
accident sorry
"Makes sense", Semi thought
E. Semi:
sure it was
K.Shirabu:
i hate you
E. Semi:
do you usually call the people you hate?
Semi paused, and thought carefully about sending the next text
E. Semi:
you gonna call me again or what?