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“Alright, now listen up!” Daichi called the team over after practice one day, hands on his hips as he announced with a grin, “The teams that we had our summer camps with are having a summer picnic next week! Our team will be leaving together and coming back later that evening. Bring some snacks or something else to contribute!”
Tsukishima sighed a little, rolling his eyes as Hinata starting yelling about how excited he was. They literally just finished the summer training camp - was there really a need to see everyone so soon? He wondered to himself if he could get out of it… maybe he could just not attend-
“And yes, your attendance is mandatory,” Daichi added, shooting a grin to Tsukishima, as if reading his mind. The blond first year groaned a little - he could barely handle this team, let alone everyone else he had to deal with in the summer camp.
“It’s just for the day,” Yamaguchi offered with a smile. “And since it’s not just about volleyball, maybe you could bring Y/N along.”
“Shut up, Yamaguchi,” Tsukishima shot his best friend a glare and for a moment, he thought his nosy teammates hadn’t overheard his girlfriend’s name. But soon their eyes all started to turn over to the two of them and he sighed, wishing they had never found out about you in the first place.
“Sorry Tsukki,” Yamaguchi laughed a little, though Tsukishima wondered if he was really sorry if he had planned it.
“Yamaguchi’s right! What fun is a picnic if you can’t enjoy it with your girlfriend?” Sugawara grinned, patting his hand hard on Tsukishima’s back making him almost fall over. “We have to meet her eventually!”
Everyone was suddenly talking about Tsukishima’s relationship, all looking up at him with wide eager eyes in hopes he’ll say yes and bring you. It wasn’t that they didn’t know who you were, they’d seen you at their games cheering them on, but they had never been formally introduced since Tsukishima insisted that it was none of their business.
“Ya know they’ll keep bugging you until you bring her around,” Asahi warned him with an empathetic smile.
“Of course we will! I don’t see what’s the use in hiding a pretty girl you’re seeing, Tsukishima,” Tanaka grinned.
“Yeah, we just want to get to know her. And hear about what you’re like in a relationship. You’re a big ol’ softie with the ladies aren’t you, Tsukishima?” Noya teased with a grin.
Tsukishima just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I’ll think about it,” was all he said, ignoring everything else that was being said about him. He already knew he didn’t want to bring you so there really wasn’t much to think about. He really just didn’t want to bring you into such an annoying group where every other question about be about your private life and what he was like out of volleyball.
But just like the annoying idiots they were, Tsukishima should’ve expected that they weren’t going to let him get away with hiding you away forever.
“Um, Tsukki?” you giggled, staring at your phone. Your eyes glanced over the chat name at the top of your screen, and list of members involved before looking over at him with a wide grin.
“No more memes, Y/N, you’re supposed to be studying,” He pointed out, not even taking his eyes off of the booklet in front of him as he wrote down an answer to a homework question. The two of you were sprawled out on the floor of your bedroom with homework and assignments laid around everywhere. Tsukishima sat up with his back against your bed, scribbling answers on his lap.
“Mm yeah but homework is boring and can always be done later,” you insisted, noting him refusing to look up from his work. “Tsukkiiiiii,” you laughed, pushing yourself between him and his homework with a grin on your face.
“You’re being a bother,” he rolled his eyes, flicking you in the head. “I knew studying with you was a bad idea.”
“We always study together! Besides, you love me, shut up.”
“Yeah well that’s how I know your stupid is running off on me,” he stated bluntly, even if his lips were curling into a smile because your smile was just so goddamn infectious and he couldn’t stop smiling in front of you. He pulled his book away from you, shuffling to turn away from you and focus on his work.
“Fine fine. I just thought you’d like to know that your volleyball teammates just messaged me and asked me to come to a picnic,” you explained casually, turning back to your phone with a shit-eating grin, knowing he was slowly turning to look at you with wide eyes.
“They did what?” Tsukishima darted across your bedroom floor, trying to wiggle your phone from your fingers as you started to protest.
“Hey! It’s my phone!” You whined with a laugh as Tsukishima shoved you on the floor in an attempt to gain leverage on you.
“Lemme see,” he insisted, having to resort to tickling your sides to snatch your phone away (though you could tell by the smug look on his face that he was enjoying your ticklish torture).
“Hey! you pouted as your giggles left your lips. “You play dirty, Tsukishima.”
“That’s why you love me isn’t it?” He teased with a smirk before turning to your phone to see a group chat made up of his volleyball teammates and you on your instagram.
Tsukishima sighed as he practically threw your phone away after insulting the King, “You really don’t have to go because they pressured you in a group chat you know,” he pointed out to you as he leaned against a nearby wall.
You smiled and shrugged, climbing onto his lap and ruffling up his hair slightly, “Is it really such a bad idea for me to come meet the people you hang out with all the time?”
“It’s not like I hang out with them by choice,” Tsukishima mumbled, holding one of your hands and playing with your fingers. “And you already hang out with Yamaguchi and me.”
“I mean, you chose to join the volleyball team,” you pointed out. “And Yamaguchi doesn’t count, you two have been friends for forever.”
“I only joined because I didn’t realize how stupid the other first years would be,” he sighed and leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling.
“I won’t come if you really don’t want me to, Tsukki,” you offered softly, knowing he tended to like his space.
“No, it’s okay. Might as well introduce you so they stop annoying me about it. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to come,” he explained, reaching up and touching your cheek gently. You smiled and the two of you curled up into some cuddles, your homework left discarded as he thought about how he was going to balance all of this the day of the picnic.
On one hand, Tsukishima had become a lot more affectionate with you after months of him acting like you were just anyone else. He liked having you around and his defenses weren’t so high up when you were there. He didn’t even mind holding your hand or smiling with you when Yamaguchi was around.
But the others… it would be nonstop teasing. Especially with the Nekoma and Fukurodani boys. He could already hear Bokuto and Kuroo snickering to him about being a good boyfriend and being their extravagant dumbass selves.
His dread for this picnic didn’t let up until the actual day of the event when he saw you waiting for him in your cutest outfit (though Tsukishima always thought anything you wore was cute), holding a container of freshly cut fruit… It was then he started to think maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as he thought.
“You didn’t have to bring anything,” he told you as you two made your way to the school to meet up with the others.
“Well I figured it would be bad manners to not bring anything,” you smiled, looking up at the clear sunny sky. “Plus, I brought strawberries, your favourite! Even if you don’t eat a lot at the picnic, at least you’ll eat the strawberries with me right?”
He nodded and draped an arm around you, kissing your cheek gently as if trying to be more affectionate before you had to deal with his team and others. He held your hand a little tighter as you met the team officially, silently glad that they had asked you to come because having you around meant he had someone else to feel comfortable with.
The whole ride to Tokyo was a headache to say the least. Tsukishima had left his headphones at home, wanting to be more present for you at least while you were trying to get to know everyone. But at some point, you must’ve seen how distraught he was and pulled out some earbuds from your pocket.
“Wanna listen with me?” You asked with a smile and he just nodded, the two of you sharing the earbuds and listening to whatever music Tsukishima had on his phone. You continued to laugh and get to know the boys on your train ride to Tokyo, interlacing your fingers with Tsukishima’s as he sank into his introverted mind.
When you all got to the space that was going to be used for this picnic, all the other teams greeted you with huge smiles and playful words to Tsukishima.
“Who knew Skinny Jeans had game?” Kuroo laughed, poking at Tsukishima’s side.
“You know, we taught him practically everything he knows about volleyball,” Bokuto grinned with his hands on his hips. You laughed as Tsukishima just rolled his eyes, giving some flat answers to any questions they had before dragging you to some shade under a nearby tree so you wouldn’t get too warm too fast.
You watched as they all worked together to set things up, Hinata and Kageyama arguing over who could carry the most chairs and set them up the fastest.
“Did you want to set up that fruit somewhere, Y/N?” Kiyoko asked you with a smile and you nodded, following her and Yachi to one of the tables that Yaku and Lev had finished setting up.
“That was exhausting,” Lev groaned, shaking his head. “It’s too hot.”
“Stop being a baby or I’ll make you run laps,” Yaku huffed, shaking his head in disappointment.
“W-What?! But it’s our day off!” Lev whined but quickly snuck away from Yaku to avoid any sort of punishment.
Tsukishima and Yamaguchi caught up with some of the other teams near you, but your boyfriend’s eyes always seemed to glance over at you, as if making sure you weren’t feeling uncomfortable.
You uncovered the fruit platter you had brought, grinning to yourself at just how delicious it all looked sitting there. You glanced in Tsukishima’s direction, smiling as you poked one of the strawberries with a fork and held it up towards him, “Do you want one, Tsukki?” You asked, knowing he probably didn’t eat much for breakfast this morning.
Tsukishima felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment - you were so adorable standing there in the sun and he wanted nothing more than to eat the fruit you were offering, but he could hear his upperclassmen and the other team members snicker behind him, watching eagerly. They had been waiting for some cute couple interaction all day and Tsukishima hated every moment of it.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled, giving you a small smile so you wouldn’t think he was mad.
You nodded, knowing your boyfriend didn’t always have the biggest appetite, about to eat the red fruit yourself when Hinata yelled out, “OH! ME! I WANT THE STRAWBERRY! CAN I HAVE SOME, Y/N?” He begged, struggling with the chairs he was still carrying but rushing over to your side as he gaped at the fruit.
You laughed and nodded, offering him the fork but when you noticed how difficult of a time he was having with the chairs, you pressed it against his lips gently, “Eat up!” You smiled at him, watching him eagerly take the strawberry and munch it down.
“Man! I love strawberries so much! This is the best time of year for them too!” Hinata told you excitedly as he swallowed it down. “Thank you!” He screamed as he ran over to where other chairs were being sat up, grinning as wide as possible.
Tsukshima frowned tightly, watching as the two of you got along much too well for his liking. He waited for you to pick up another strawberry before whisking your wrist away from your own lips and to his, catching your gaze as he plucked the strawberry off your fork with his teeth and into his mouth.
You stared at him in a daze - Tsukishima could have such a commanding look on his face sometimes and it always threw you off. There was a flash of that somewhat dominant, somewhat playful look on his face that you often noted on him after an intense makeout session.
His demeanour shifted slightly as he heard his upperclassmen hoot and holler behind him, his ears turning slightly pink in response. He sighed a little, tapping your nose gently, “Don’t go feeding them like that, okay?” He told you quietly, “Only me.”
You couldn’t help but smirk a little, giggling as you nodded, “Sure sure. Who knew you could get so jealous,” you teased him in a whisper, offering him another piece of the red fruit. “One more then. I know you haven’t eaten much today.”
Tsukishima hesitated but finally accepted the food as you fed him, feeling like it would be unacceptably rude of him not to after all that. As much as his ears were burning in embarrassment, he finally took the fork from you and held one up to your lips this time.
“Open,” he murmured and you complied, smiling up at him as you licked the taste from your lips.
“Thank you,” you giggled, tapping his nose lovingly.
“So, the secret to getting Tsukishima Kei to eat is having Y/N around to feed him huh?” Sugawara laughed, leaning his elbow on Daichi’s shoulders as they watched next to the Fukurodani and Nekoma captains.
“They really are cute,” Asahi noted with a smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Tsukishima smile like that before. Or at all.”
“He only really smiles when Y/N’s around,” Yamaguchi laughed, familiar to watching you two interact but finding it amusing that Tsukishima wasn’t holding back with everyone watching. “He is such a big softie for her.”
“I wish I had a cute girlfriend to feed me things!” Tanaka whined.
“Me too!” Noya whimpered, both of their eyes immediately falling on their volleyball club’s manager who was currently setting up plates.
“I’m not feeding either of you,” Kiyoko stated simply, not even bothering to look up from her task.
“Kiyoko’s just so pretty when she rejects us,” Tanaka and Noya sang together, smiles spread across their faces.
The rest of the day went by similarly - once the food was all set out, everyone dug in and it was delicious to say the least. You shared a plate with Tsukishima, making him eat at least a little of everything and even bringing him a bigger piece of the strawberry shortcake that someone had brought (he was very pleased with this). Poor Tsukishima seemed to kept getting teased by other volleyball players, especially when they saw you two doing anything together. Some of the upperclassmen even took it upon themselves to insist to him that he better treat you right or they’d hurt him.
“I don’t think Tsukishima’s ever treated me badly,” you asserted with a smile, hugging Tsukishima’s arm to you. “Don’t worry, I’m in good hands.”
As much as Tsukishima hadn’t originally wanted you to have to deal with all of the boys, he smiled slightly to himself realizing you were just better at handling them than he was.
As the food quickly disappeared, Tsukishima found a few minutes to pull you behind a tree and press a kiss that tasted like fresh fruit against your lips, holding your chin in his hand.
“I love you, Y/N,” he whispered to you, brushing hair from your eyes. “Thanks for coming with me.”
“I love you too, Tsukishima,” you watched him with a smile, nodding a little, “I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to be with you for anything.”
The blond tried to sneak another kiss, a little desperate for that taste of strawberry on your lips, but was ultimately interrupted by Bokuto yelling for him to come and block for him with an outdoor net they had set up.
“It never ends,” he groaned in response, wondering if you two could just stay hidden for a little longer.
“Oh go on, you can save all those kisses for later,” you teased, pecking his lips gently before pulling him out with you from behind the tree. “Besides, I like watching you play though. It’s very attractive,” you admitted casually as the two of you walked over to where the others were waiting.
Tsukishima glanced at you with a hint of surprise before shrugging to himself. Fine, just for you, Y/N, he thought to himself as he made his way to the boys. Just for you, I’ll try. You and those strawberry stained lips.