Archive of Our Own

Step 1: Get to know the tattoo parlor

It’s good to get to know your local parlor if one wants to be a regular.

Yamaguchi knows this step well—he likes learning about the place, from the people who work there, to the regulars that visit, to the gossip that takes place, everything. When he was in high school, he would stop by the local parlor nearly every weekend, just to chat with the employees and a couple of other regulars. He knew them well enough that they started meeting up outside of work, too.

Of course, that all changed when he left town. Now, he owns a flower shop, which he loves immensely, but it’s kept him busy the past year or so. So he hasn’t really gotten anything new since he moved, hasn’t stopped by any parlors, and he certainly hasn’t met any of the artists.

That changes today, of course, because he kinda wants something new, and he’s been meaning to check out this one place in particular. It’s been recommended to him by a bunch of people in the area, and it’s just a short walk from the flower shop. So he closes up the store early for just one day and swings by the place.

He likes it almost immediately. It has a classic parlor look to it, from the lettering on the glass window to the vintage leather seats. Plants are placed on the windowsills, tiny cacti and succulents line the desk in front, and a couple of flower pots are placed outside.

He walks in, and the door chimes a cheerful welcome to him as he pushes open the door and makes his way to the desk. A guy around his age is sitting curled up in a swivel chair, in a thick black sweatshirt with half-blond hair, and he’s fiddling with a Nintendo Switch. Yamaguchi stops and stands there, waiting patiently. He knows that interrupting a game is probably not a good first impression, so as he waits, he looks around the parlor a little longer. The succulent nearest him is overwatered, and he makes a sympathetic frown at it.

He doesn’t have to wait long, thankfully. Before he gets too impatient, someone else pops up behind the counter—this guy is thin and lanky, with silver hair, and he’s got a sleeve with a sick lion tattoo laced with leaves. “Kenma,” he says, poking at the guy, who is still curled up in the chair, his eyes glued to the screen. “Kenma. Someone’s waiting.”

Kenma’s switch lets out a noise, and he makes a face at it, then turns around in the chair. “You made me mess up,” he complains, reaching out to kick the other guy in the shin.

He skirts backward to avoid it. “We’ve got someone waiting, though!”

Kenma swivels back around, and Yamaguchi lifts his hand to wave at him. “Sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt your game.”

Kenma gives him an appreciative look. “You could learn a thing or two from him, Lev.” He gets to his feet, setting aside the switch. “Sorry about that. What can I do for you?”

“Oh, I just wanted to check you guys out. My shop’s a couple of blocks from here, and a few friends recommended this place.”

“Really? What’s your shop?” Lev leans over the counter. Kenma pushes him back.

Yamaguchi laughs. “I run Roses & Thistle, and you’ve been overwatering your succulents.”

“That’s all Bokuto’s fault,” Kenma reaches under the counter and pulls out a thick binder. “So what’re you looking for?”

“What kind of styles do you do? I want to add onto some designs I already have, but I don’t want it to look too different.”

“Pretty much everything.” Kenma plops the binder on the counter. “These are a couple of designs that the artists have done. What do you have so far?”

“Arms and shoulders.” Yamaguchi flipped through the binder. “You guys are pretty good! How long have you been at this?”

“Kuroo’s had the shop open for almost eight years now. That’s his stuff, he’s more traditional.”

“Bragging about your boyfriend, Kenma—ow!”

Kenma removes his elbow from Lev’s side and tilts his head to eye Yamaguchi’s wrists. “Can you take off your jacket?”

Yamaguchi nods and takes it off, glad that he wore a tank top this morning. He turns around, showing off the delicate flowers that lace around his wrists and up his arms, ending at his collarbone. Lev lets out a low whistle of appreciation. “Nice! Where’d you get that done?”

“In my hometown, a few years ago.” Yamaguchi pulls his jacket back on. “But I haven’t really added anything since I moved.”

“You took good care of them,” Kenma comments, looking appreciative. “So you want something in the same style?”

“Something similar, yeah!”

“Tsukishima could do that,” Lev suggests. He sits down on the counter. Kenma shoves him off but nods in agreement. He reaches out and flips the binder to a page.

Yamaguchi looked through the designs, thoroughly impressed. His style is realistic and almost delicate-looking, and it matches his sleeves almost perfectly. “He works every day except for Saturdays and Mondays,” Kenma says. “If you want to stop by for a consultation, I can book you something.”

Yamaguchi nods. “Does Sunday at noon work?”

Step 2: Locate a cute tattoo artist

This step is easy. Yamaguchi just has to walk into the parlor for his scheduled appointment.

Someone else is sitting on the desk today. He's got bright orange hair, and is focused on drawing on his hand with a sharpie, which Yamaguchi almost laughs at—they’re in a tattoo parlor, after all—but doesn’t, for the sake of politeness. So he waits, again, crouching down the succulents. They’re still being overwatered.

“You don’t seem to like interrupting people.”

Yamaguchi looks up, and so does the orange-haired guy at the desk. Kenma slips into the chair next to him.

“I don’t really like interrupting people, no,” Yamaguchi admits. “He seemed occupied.”

The orange-haired guy looks at him, sheepish. “Sorry, I got distracted. I’m Hinata!”

Yamaguchi shakes his hand, smiling. “Your poor succulents are still being tortured,” he can’t help but add.

Kenma lets out a small huff, which Yamaguchi takes as a laugh. “Bokuto, a customer’s telling you to stop killing your plants,” he calls over his shoulder, then pulls out a clipboard. “Sign in here, date, time, and signature.”

Another guy pops his head out of a nearby doorway as Yamaguchi obediently writes down his information. He’s got an impressive head of black and white hair, and complicated patterns of vines, birds, and various other shapes are decorated all over his arms and legs. “Who’s doing what?”

Kenma takes the clipboard back and jerks his head toward Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi waves. “You’re overwatering your succulents.”

Bokuto looks mortally wounded, almost. “Kuroo told me I wasn’t watering them enough.”.

Kenma gives him a look. Hinata snorts. Yamaguchi rubs the back of his neck. “Their lower leaves are rotted. You should pluck the bad ones carefully, and then leave your plants in the sun. Let the first inch of soil dry out before you water them again, alright?”

“I’ve been killing my plants?” Bokuto nudges past Hinata and crouches down to look at them.

Kenma rolls his eyes. “I’m gonna grab Tsukishima,” he says, standing up from the desk.

Yamaguchi laughs, reaching out to pat Bokuto’s shoulder in a sympathetic manner. “Don’t worry. They’re not too damaged, so they should be fine in a few weeks.”

Bokuto reaches out to stroke a nearby leaf with a mournful look. “I am so sorry,” he says to them.

“They’ll pull through alright. But if they still look a little sickly in a couple weeks, you can swing by my shop and I’ll check them out for you.”

“Really?” Bokuto beams at Yamaguchi. “Where’s your shop? I’ve been meaning to get an orchid.”

“It’s on Maple and 7th.”

“That’s so cool. I’m terrible with plants, honestly. As you can see.”

“Your fault for actually listening to Kuroo.” Kenma has reentered the room, this time with another person in tow. “This is Yamaguchi.”

Yamaguchi looks up from Bokuto’s succulents with a smile, then immediately freezes. Behind Kenma is a tall, lofty guy, with short blond hair and glasses. Several silver piercings dangle from his ears, and he’s dressed in a white shirt that shows off a tangle of geometric shapes that travel up his neck and arms. He stretches out a hand, which has several heavy silver rings. “Kei Tsukishima.”

Yamaguchi takes it. “Tadashi Yamaguchi.”

Step 3: Get to know the tattoo artist

Tsukishima’s cute.

Yamaguchi doesn’t need any second opinions for that. He’s cute. He has a sort of strange, unexpected style, and his own tattoos are a bit unconventional compared to the many that Yamaguchi’s seen. He’s also a bit snarky, and occasionally snappish toward his coworkers, but it’s affectionate.

Like right now.

Yamaguchi is just hanging out by the front desk again )Kenma was running late, so he’s just chatting with Lev and Hinata while he waits for his appointment to start) when Tsukishima opens the room to the break room with a murderous look on his face. Hinata seems to know what’s getting him so irritated, and he shrinks down in his swivel chair as if it will prevent the inevitable.

It, obviously, does not work. Yamaguchi watches, amused, as Tsukishima grabs the back of the swivel chair and spins Hinata around, looking straight into his eyes. Lev slinks away, eyeing Tsukishima warily.

“Hinata,” Tsukishima says, his voice dangerously low. “Could there possibly be a reasonable explanation as to why I opened the fridge to twenty bottles of iced tea?”

Hinata shrank even lower. “If I told you yes, would you listen?”

“Speak quickly.”

“I just wanted, like, 6 bottles to keep in my fridge, but the website was like, really not good at explaining that they come in packs of 8—”

“Hinata, don’t tell me you got 48 bottles of iced tea in the fridge back there?” Yamaguchi leans over the desk, curious. “How did you even manage to get them all here?”

“I didn’t! I left most of them back at my apartment, but I only have a mini-fridge, and I needed at least one shelf for the cheese and for Kageyama’s milk. But I drank a bottle or two!”

“There’s literally no room in our fridge right now, Shrimp.”

“What am I supposed to do? Drink warm iced tea?”

Something akin to amusement sparks in Tsukishima’s eyes, but it’s gone in an instant. “If you have any self-preservation skills, you will.”

Hinata makes a face. “Fine, fine, I’ll put them somewhere else,” he groaned. “You can put your stupid lunch in there, I guess.”

“I’ve been working here longer, so watch your tongue.”

“I’m older! You watch your tongue.” Hinata slides out of the chair and nudges past Tsukishima with a huff.

Yamaguchi watches Hinata as he slips into the break room. “I didn’t know he was older than you,” he says to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima’s eyes flick to Yamaguchi, a faint smile playing on his lips. “By two months.”

“Really? When’s your birthday?”

“September 27.”

“Ah. A Libra.” Yamaguchi pauses. “I don’t know why I said that. I don’t believe in zodiac signs, really.”

Tsukishima laughs. “Yours?”

“Scorpio. November 10. I only know them as constellations, really.”

“You’re here early,” a voice says from behind Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi turns to see Kenma nudging the door open with his foot. He nods in acknowledgment, then kicks the door closed. “Didn’t expect you until eleven,” he continues. “But you’re always here early, I guess.”

“I get bored a lot, to be honest,” Yamaguchi admits. “Miso’s out on her walk right now.”

“Miso?” Tsukishima asked.

“His cat.” Kenma takes a seat in Hinata’s abandoned swivel chair.

“Scorpio’s constellation is also known as Maui’s Fishhook to Polynesians.”

Yamaguchi gives him a look. “Did you get that from Moana, or did you actually know that?”

Tsukishima shrugged. “I have a book on astronomy somewhere.”

“Really? I always kinda liked astronomy. I used to have a telescope when I was younger.”

“I did too. Always snuck out with my brother in the middle of the night with it. My mother was never pleased.”

Yamaguchi laughs. “Cute.”

Tsukishima turns his head away from him to look at Kenma, making Yamaguchi wonder briefly if he didn’t hear his comment. Kenma glances up back at Tsukishima. “Kenma,” Tsukishima says. “I don’t suppose you like iced tea?”

“No.”

Tsukishima glances at Yamaguchi. “And you?”

“I’m more of a lemonade person myself.”

Tsukishima nods. Kenma glances at him, then Yamaguchi, then stands up, slipping into the back room. Tsukishima’s eyes trail off after Kenma but quickly flick back to Yamaguchi. “Did you know that iced tea is seventy-five to eighty percent of tea drunk in the US?”

Yamaguchi purses his lips. “Huh.”

“Not what you expected?”

“I guess that’s to be expected. But I don’t know what I expected.” Yamaguchi tilts his head to the side. “You seem to know a lot of random facts.”

“It’s part of my charm.” Tsukishima winks. Yamaguchi flushes, although he doesn’t really know why. Cute people are my weakness, he thinks to himself but doesn’t say that aloud, for obvious reasons.

“Very charming,” he says instead.

Step 4: Get a crush on the tattoo artist

It’s been a while, maybe a couple of months, since Yamaguchi started visiting the parlor, and he’s become reasonably comfortable there. He likes chatting with the employees, and he’s gotten to know a few other regulars, too. For example, Keiji Akaashi, who enjoys stopping by every once in a while, and appears to be close with Kenma. He seems reserved but is known to throw in a sardonic comment here or there. Surprisingly, he doesn’t have many tattoos, just a few small ones on his arms and hands, and mainly spends his time at the parlor reading a book in the same chair while listening in to the conversations around him.

Yamaguchi is checking on Bokuto’s succulents when Akaashi drops by one time. “How are they faring?” he asks solemnly, slipping into his normal seat.

“Better,” he answers, crouching down next to the nearest plant, a tiny bluish-green one. “Kuroo promised that he wouldn’t give Bokuto any more misinformation.”

At his name, Bokuto pops his head out of the break room, and immediately spots Akaashi standing by his plants. “Hi!” he says, beaming. “They’re doing a lot better, right?”

“Definitely,” Akaashi agrees. He reaches out to gently stroke the one that Yamaguchi is examining. “This one’s my favorite.”

“I named that one after you!” Bokuto bends down by it. “This one’s Akaashi, ‘cause it looks like your eyes! And this one’s Kuroo, this one’s Kenma—see, Kenma’s all spiky, but he’s holding Kuroo’s plant hand—this one’s Hinata…”

Yamaguchi grins at Akaashi, whose face is growing steadily redder by the moment. He stands up from the counter and turns around to see Tsukishima hovering by the break room door.

“Hey,” he says. “You don’t have an appointment, do you?”

“Nah, just wanted to stop by.” Yamaguchi steals another glance at Bokuto, who is still chattering away to an extremely flustered Akaashi. “Which one are you named after?”

Tsukishima juts his chin at it. “The Echeveria lutea.”

Yamaguchi gives him a look. Tsukishima laughs, amending his statement with, “The tiny half-dead one. I think it was the last one he had to name.”

“Ah.”

“Any reason you stopped by?”

“Oh, the shop is always slow at this time of day.” Yamaguchi tips his head at the succulents. “I thought I’d check up on Bokuto’s children.”

Tsukishima lets out a laugh. “Children?”

Yamaguchi feels his face flush. “Yeah. He’s even got names for them, didn’t you hear?”

“This one’s you, Yamaguchi!” Bokuto points to a dark green one with leaves that vaguely resemble Yamaguchi’s hair.

Tsukishima smirks. “That makes you part of the group,” he says to Yamaguchi.

“I’ve made it in this life.”

Tsukishima chuckles. Yamaguchi has a brief moment where he realizes how much he likes the sound, but Tsukishima’s already talking again. “I have a lunch break now,” he says. “Want to grab something with me?”

So that’s how Yamaguchi finds himself following Tsukishima to a deli a couple of blocks away. Tsukishima insists on paying for Yamaguchi’s sandwich, even after Yamaguchi protests. He gets a roast beef and cheese sandwich, and Tsukishima hands him a bottle of lemonade, and the two start walking slowly back to the parlor.

Tsukishima watches him as he unwraps his sandwich and bites into it. The back of Yamaguchi’s neck prickles under his gaze, but he just continues walking, hoping that his cheeks aren’t too red. “This is good,” he says, taking another bite of his sandwich. “Do you go there often?”

Tsukishima blinks. His sandwich is in his hand, unopened. “Oh. No, not really. Usually, I bring lunch from home, but I forgot it today.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. Is your place far from here?”

“Across town. Just one bus, but I didn’t feel like heading back just for some leftover pasta.” Tsukishima gives him a little smile. “Glad you were there to get lunch with me, though.”

“I’m glad, too,” Yamaguchi says cheerfully.

They fall silent for a moment, but it’s a comfortable silence, so Yamaguchi doesn’t mind as he continues to eat his sandwich. It’s a cool autumn day, and a gentle breeze brushes past as they head down the street.

“Say, you have a flower shop, right?” Tsukishima asks, after a moment. He’s started on his sandwich now, unwrapping it carefully as he walks beside Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi nods. “Do you like plants at all?”

“I used to be pretty interested in botany when I was younger.” Tsukishima’s eyes glint as he glances at Yamaguchi. “But I suppose I was interested in quite a few subjects. I was what you’d call a nerd.”

“Ah, I would’ve assumed that from the glasses.” Yamaguchi gives him a small grin. “I was a bit of a delinquent, myself.”

“The cat and the flower shop were a dead giveaway.”

“Well, maybe a bit of a wannabe delinquent. You seem to have a little bit of nerd left in you, with all your random trivia.”

Tsukishima shrugged. “I read a lot as a kid. It’s stuck with me throughout the years.”

“I read a lot as a kid, too.”

“Definitely delinquent material.”

Yamaguchi laughs. Tsukishima grins, and he reaches out for the parlor door, holding it open for Yamaguchi. “As I said, wannabe delinquent. But I read more fiction than nonfiction.”

“Ah, that makes sense. I was an encyclopedia kind of kid.”

“Tsukki!”

Kuroo is poking his head out of the breakroom. “Okay, so I know you said not to touch your lunch, but Lev might’ve opened the fridge a little too excitedly and the glass may have broken a little, but we can maybe save your sandwich if you want—”

“Oh my God,” Tsukishima groans. “Stop talking. Just stop talking.”

I thought he forgot his lunch, Yamaguchi thinks to himself. Aloud, he says, “Tsukki? Is that a nickname?”

“Unfortunately.”

“That’s adorable.” Yamaguchi twists around to glance at Kuroo. “I’m using that.”

Kuroo grins. “Be my guest. Tsukki, come help me clean the glass!”

“Seriously?” Tsukishima groans.

“Hey. I’m your boss. Help out or get fired.

Tsukishima lets out a sigh, but he turns to Yamaguchi with a half-smile. “I was wondering something.”

Yamaguchi smiles back. “Shoot.”

“Would you mind if I stopped by your shop? Just want to check it out. See you in your natural habitat.”

“Oh! Sure, that’d be great.”

“Cool. I’ll stop by around Friday, maybe?”

“Sounds good.” Yamaguchi is positive that his face is bright red right now. His cheeks feel like they’re on fire.

“Tsukki! Glass, now!’

Tsukishima rolls his eyes and gives Yamaguchi another half-smile, then turns to head over to the other room. Kuroo laughs, gives Yamaguchi a cheesy salute, and herds Tsukishima into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

As soon as the door closes behind Tsukishima’s back, Hinata spins around to pin Yamaguchi with an accusatory glare. “Oh my God,” he says. “You like Tsukishima.”

Yamaguchi stares at him. “What?”

Step 5: Vehemently deny your crush on the tattoo artist

“You like Tsukishima. Like, you like like him.”

Hinata, Akaashi, Kenma, and Yamaguchi are sitting at the front desk, and Yamaguchi is having a crisis. Tsukishima is off somewhere—it’s a few days later, and he is not working today—so Yamaguchi takes this as an opportunity to try and convince the three of them that no, he does not have a crush, shut up.

Unfortunately for him, Hinata is as giddy over Yamaguchi’s nonexistent crush as a high school kid hungry for gossip. Yamaguchi claps his hands over his ears and groans.

“Quiet, Hinata. I think Yamaguchi’s having a crisis.”

“I am having a crisis, Akaashi, but I don’t like Tsukki.”

“You don’t?” Even Kenma looks mildly surprised. He’s on the floor behind the desk, flipping through mail.

“No, I do not!”

“Then why are you having a crisis?”

“You were totally blushing when he offered to get you lunch,” Hinata chimes in. “Your face was so fucking red. He was, too.”

“And you were both blushing when you guys came back from his lunch break,” Akaashi adds.

“And he wants to come by your shop.” Kenma tears up an envelope and tosses it into the trash.

“That means nothing. Maybe he just wanted to see what it was like. It wasn’t because he’s...interested in me, or anything.”

Akaashi snorts. “What other reason would it be? To see your cat?”

“Miso is a very nice cat, thank you very much.”

“He got you lemonade,” Kenma says. “Didn’t you tell him that you liked lemonade, the other day?”

Yamaguchi stares at him. “I did?”

“You did, and generally, people remember the things that the person they like says they like.”

“He does not like me, and I do not like him, and you all sound like goddamn high-schoolers with how you’re obsessing over it.”

“It’s Tsukishima, for fuck’s sake,” Hinata complains. “Freaking Tsukishima. God, Yamaguchi, couldn’t you have picked a different crush?”

“It’s not a crush!”

Step 6: Admit your feelings for the tattoo artist

Yamaguchi is still stuck on step 5 by the time Friday rolls around. He pleads the fifth. Declines to comment. None of the above.

“Miso, you don’t think I have a crush on him, do you?” he whines to his cat. “I’m not in love with him. He’s just a friend that I’m...fond of.”

Miso blinks at him, unimpressed.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m having a crisis. This is important. You should have more concern, I’m the one who feeds you every day.” Yamaguchi pauses, contemplates. “Actually, I think the owner of the fishery is feeding you, too, but that’s beside the point.” He reaches out to scratch Miso’s chin. “They don’t have catnip. I give you catnip. Be concerned.”

She purrs, leaning into his hand, but doesn’t respond. Obviously. He sighs. “I’m not going crazy, right?”

“Just based on how you’re talking to a cat, I’d have to say yes.”

Yamaguchi glances up. Tsukishima is looking down at him and Miso, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Oh, hi!” Yamaguchi says, sitting up straight.

“Hi.” Tsukishima’s smile widens a little. “Who’s this?”

“This one’s Miso. Cheeto is upstairs, and Mochi is on a walk.”

“Ah, that’s right.” Tsukishima reaches out to scratch Miso behind the ears, and she purrs affectionately, pushing her head into Tsukishima’s hand. “Hi there.”

“She likes you.”

“Hm. Animals don’t really like me that much, normally.”

“Mine are pretty affectionate, really.”

Tsukishima glances up. “So, this is your famous flower shop.”

Yamaguchi grins. “This is it. Welcome to my humble abode.”

“It’s nice. Really nice.”

“Thanks.” Yamaguchi watches as Miso practically shoves her face into the palm of Tsukishima’s hand. His heart melts. Two things he likes, in one package. It’s too adorable to handle, and he sighs.

Tsukishima glances up at him. “What was that?”

“Oh, nothing.” I’m just gay panicking over the fact that you are too cute for my bisexual ass to handle, and…

…fuck, they were right. I do like you.

Yamaguchi resists the urge to groan, and continues to watch his cat throw herself at the feet of his crush. He’s totally fucked.

Step 7: Leave town and never return

Yamaguchi’s seriously considering this one. Seriously, how’s he supposed to deal with this?

“You’re not leaving town,” Kenma tells him. “You have a business here. A cat. Also, where the hell would you go?”

“Canada,” Yamaguchi says, mournful. Briefly, he wonders if his hydrangeas would survive the cold.

“No.” Kenma doesn’t pick his eyes off of the switch. “You’ll survive here. You can confess, or you can try and get over your feelings, or you can hold onto them forever.”

“All of those options sound terrible.”

“C’mon, Yamaguchi,” Hinata whines. “What if you confess and he does like you back? He’s obviously into you. He’s been doing his strange flirting for weeks.”

“What strange flirting?” Akaashi asks. He looked up from his book, his reading glasses dangerously close to tipping off his face.

“You know. His ‘let me sweet talk you with my strange obscure knowledge of random facts’ and ‘getting you a thing that you mentioned that you liked three weeks ago.’”

“That’s his flirting?” Akaashi’s expression is of utter bemusement. “Should I be laughing?”

“Yeah, you should.” Kenma sinks a little lower in his chair, still fiddling with his controller.

“He’s not flirting. And I like his trivia,” Yamaguchi protests.

“Of course you would.”

“Shush, Kenma. Yamaguchi, he’s totally into you, and you should totally jump on that. Literally and figuratively.” Hinata flashes him a grin. Yamaguchi covers his face.

“Stop flustering the poor guy,” Akaashi admonishes. “I do think that Tsukishima’s interested in you, Yamaguchi, but honestly, you can just mull over things for a while. Just think it through, alright?”

“I’d suggest thinking it through over tequila,” Kenma deadpans.

Step 7.5: Return home and mope over your feelings

Yamaguchi does not have tequila, but he does invite the three over for drinks and some ice cream. Kenma immediately takes to Miso, Hinata digs out some spoons, and Akaashi sets up some terrible rom-com in the background as Yamaguchi continues his existential dread.

“What do I even do if he rejects me?” he groans. “If I can’t go to Canada, then I’ll have to find a new tattoo place entirely. He’s gonna hate me. Or be disgusted by me.”

“No, you won’t,” Hinata says reassuringly. “Worst comes to worst, you’ll just go in on the days he isn’t there, and Kenma can finish off your flowers for you.”

Kenma shrugs. “It won’t match as well as Tsukishima’s, but I’ll try.”

Yamaguchi lets out a distressed noise. Hinata elbows Kenma. Akaashi sighs. “Look, Yamaguchi,” he says, leaning forward to pause Yamaguchi’s computer. “I don’t think Tsukishima could ever hate you. Or be disgusted by you.”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“I do know that for sure. Sure, he’s emotionally stunted and he doesn’t know how to flirt, but if he can’t even see that you’re a genuinely good person and friend, then he needs to update his prescription.” Akaashi takes a sip from his beer, his expression serene. “It’d be nonsensical to not want to maintain a relationship with you. If he has even a single bit of reason, then he’d make that relationship a romantic one.”

“Akaashi,” Hinata says solemnly, “I love you, but I’ve had three beers and I have no idea what the fuck you just said.”

Kenma snorts. “He’s basically saying Tsukishima’d have to be stupid to not want to date Yamaguchi. Which is true.”

“Oh yeah, definitely!”

Yamaguchi hesitates, but Hinata slaps a hand over his mouth before he can protest. “Don’t even try,” Hinata tells him. “And anyway whatever you choose to do, whether it’s confessing or moving on, you’ll be fine.”

Yamaguchi makes a face at him. Hinata rolls his eyes back, Akaashi starts the movie up again, and Kenma ignores them in favor of Miso.

But really, he’s grateful. And as he leans into Hinata’s shoulder with a sigh, he thinks about how lucky he was to have found this strange tattoo parlor.

Step 8: Get flowers for your tattoo artist and hope that he doesn’t know flower language

The next day, Yamaguchi has since abandoned the idea of moving to Canada and mulls over his friends’ reassurances. He’s never been one to fall in love easily—he’s not even sure if this can be considered love—but being with Tsukishima is just too easy for him. His presence is calming in a way, conversation comes effortlessly, and he feels comfortable enough around him to tease or joke around. The idea of dating him fills him with a sense of flustered giddiness, like a middle schooler with a crush.

A part of him wants to keep his affections to himself. He’d get over Tsukishima eventually, of course. He’s had more unrequited crushes than he can count on both hands, and they’re certainly not unfamiliar to him. Things could go on as they have been, with Yamaguchi continuing to visit the parlor as if a normal customer or friend.

It’s not entirely unappealing. He enjoys Tsukishima’s company regardless of whether it’s platonic or romantic, and he’s come to love the parlor and all its employees and customers.

But a selfish part of him—the part that yearns for something more, wants to be that person for Tsukishima—can’t seem to let it go. Would you really be satisfied with being his friend? he asks himself. Knowing that you could’ve been that person? Wouldn’t you regret it forever?

He would regret it, he realizes. Maybe someday Tsukishima’s friendship could give him satisfaction, somewhere in the distant future, but right now, he isn’t.

But how would he even go about asking him out? He’s never done it before. Whenever he’s dated someone, he was always the one asked out, not the other way around. He mulls things over for a while, long enough for Miso to return from her morning stroll. She struts over to him. There are rose petals stuck between her teeth and Yamaguchi plucks them out of her mouth absentmindedly. His gaze strays to the freshly cut flowers waiting to become bouquets.

Before he can really comprehend what he’s doing, his hands reach out to grab a few, and he starts to arrange them. Dark red peonies. Baby’s breath. Blue tweedia. Leather fern. Quickly, he bounds them together, then ties a ribbon around them. He wraps the bouquet in paper and glances at the clock.

Later, Yamaguchi swings by the parlor during Tsukishima’s lunch break and drops the bouquet off on the counter. Kenma gives him a look.

“Shut up,” Yamaguchi tells him. “I don’t know how else to do this.”

Kenma shrugs.

“Don’t act like Kuroo’s confession was any better.” Kenma ignores him, of course. “Make sure he gets them, alright?”

“Do I tell him that they’re for him?”

Yamaguchi hesitates. Kenma returns to his switch. “I’ll tell him. Now go before you start overthinking, alright?”

Yamaguchi does what he’s told and runs the way back to his store, regretting his decision with every step.

Step 9: Ask the tattoo artist out Gay panic and struggle for words until he gets the idea

“I got your flowers.”

Someone is hovering awkwardly over Yamaguchi’s desk. He glances up and almost falls out of his chair. “Tsukki,” he yelps, then lets out a breath. “Shit, don’t scare me like that!”

“Sorry.” Tsukishima doesn’t look that sorry, just a little amused, and he sits down on the other side of the desk. “Alright there?”

Yamaguchi makes a face at him. “Just fine,” he huffs. “Do you need anything?”

“I got your flowers,” Tsukishima says again. He lifts his hand up from behind the desk, and lo and behold, he’s holding the bouquet. Yamaguchi winces.

“Oh. Right. Well, I’m glad they got to you alright!”

“Yeah, they did.” Tsukishima looks for a moment as if he wanted to say more, then pursed his lips.

“Do you need anything?” Yamaguchi hates the words as soon as they come out of his mouth—he’s slipping dangerously into Customer Service Mode™, which is not exactly the most desirable choice for greeting your crush. “I mean...I don’t know what I mean. Any reason you stopped by?”

“Ah, well…”

Tsukishima is fumbling. Tsukishima never fumbles. He’s like the tall blond version of Katie Nolan, Yamaguchi thinks to himself. Am I your Johnny Nolan or your Sergeant McShane?

“I just wanted to know the meaning? I looked them up, but all I got was...a lot of mixed meanings.”

“Did your botany book not extend to flower meanings?” Yamaguchi joked.

Tsukishima let out a laugh. “No, it didn’t.”

“Well, uh…” Yamaguchi takes the bouquet out of Tsukishima’s hands, as gently as he could. “What did you think they meant?”

Tsukishima drops his eyes back down to the flowers as if he had forgotten they were there. “Just from a book I found, peonies represent prosperity and good luck. Baby’s breath represents purity and sincerity. Tweedia is peace. Viburnum is delicate intentions.”

“Ah.”

“I don’t know...if they had an intended meaning, or if they’re just…” Tsukishima struggles for a word. “Flowers.”

Oh, that’s it, Yamaguchi thinks to himself. You’re Benjamin Blake. Can I be your Francie? Or are you my Lee? But aloud, all he says is, “They did have an intended meaning, actually.”

“Oh.” Tsukishima continues to stare down at the bouquet. Red tinges his ears. “So, is this…”

Yamaguchi almost laughs at his confusion, but doesn’t. He lets his fingers trail over the flowers. “Baby’s breath is sincerity and compassion. Tweedia is harmony. Viburnum flowers mean delicate intentions, but I just used the leaf, which is kinda just a filler for the bouquet. Red peonies represent love and respect.”

“Oh,” Tsukishima says again. “So, then…”

“I hope that wasn’t too forward,” Yamaguchi says quickly. “I just...I didn’t really know any other way to say it, and everyone said I should just go for it, but really, going for it isn’t really my style. And I guess flowers are? Sorry if that confused you, I just didn’t want to look you in the eyes while you got my confession.”

“Confession?”

Yamaguchi risks a glance at Tsukishima. He’s redder than the flowers. Yamaguchi doesn’t know whether he should be happy or concerned about that and drops his gaze again.

“So, now that’s out of the way.” Yamaguchi’s certain that he’s redder than Tsukishima, if the burning in his cheeks is any indication. “I was wondering if maybe, you and I could...I don’t know, the lunch was nice, even if it was kinda short—”

“I thought you were rejecting me.”

“What?”

“With the bouquet. Before. Though I realize, maybe a decade-old library book might’ve not been the best of references. But you’re not rejecting me?”

“What? No. But the lunch was nice, yeah. I don’t know, I didn’t think it was a date, but Hinata was like fuck no, Yamaguchi, it was a date, and Kenma was talking about the lemonade, and I kinda got my hopes up, but if you really want me to, then I can find a new tattoo parlor—”

“Another date sounds good.”

Yamaguchi looks up again. “What was that?”

“Another date sounds good,” Tsukishima repeated. “If we can even count the first one as a date. I wouldn’t I were you.”

“What was wrong with the first one?” Yamaguchi protested. “You got me lemonade. That was nice.”

“Nope, the next one will be our first. That was a sorry excuse for asking you out, finally, and it should not count.” Tsukishima stood up again. “Is Sunday evening alright?”

“Sunday?” Yamaguchi parrots.

“Sunday. Dinner. Date. Our first one, for real this time.”

“Oh.” Yamaguchi’s face burns even brighter. “Yeah. That’s good. I’ll be here.”

Tsukishima smiles—a big, real, smile—and starts heading out of the shop. “I’ll pick you up at 8,” he calls.

As soon as the door swings shut behind him, Yamaguchi let out a breath. “Holy shit, Miso,” he says to his cat, curled up at his feet. “That just happened.”

Step 10: Date the tattoo artist

Dating Tsukishima is surprisingly easy.

There’s something about it. Tsukishima almost makes it easy for him, and it’s never awkward or weird. The transition from friends to boyfriends is blissfully smooth.

Yamaguchi can hardly believe his luck, to be honest. Now, he doesn’t just have to stare at Tsukishima’s hand, he can just reach out and take it, and Tsukishima will lace his fingers between his. He can give Tsukishima little kisses on the cheek. He can call him Kei and compliment him and tease him and it’s wonderful.

He still stops by the parlor as much as he used to, of course, even though Kei is over at his apartment or his shop more often than not. He likes it there, and it’s become a safe little haven in the weird city he’s moved into.

And if the rest of the parlor groans whenever he gives Tsukishima an affectionate kiss on the cheek, it’s only more satisfying for him.