Work Text:
heartsease
- 1 : peace of mind : tranquility
Despite the popular first impressions that he is lethargic and impassive due his appearance and demeanor, Tsukishima Kei is rather a passionate man with an active life. Passionate in terms of his interests, goals and dreams even though he doesn’t outwardly show it and thus this led him to live a life as a college student and professional volleyball player. Being in college means full of paper works, thesis, and tests while being an athlete means having rigorous trainings regularly and matches after matches.
Needless to say, Tsukishima gets tired and he sometimes wants everything to slow down, giving him time to breathe and relax. There are days where the stress seems prevalent and his mind can’t keep up and when these days happen, he finds himself overthinking his choices and his future.
Don’t get him wrong, he’s happy with the way he can pursue both of his passions at the same time but he is also just a human who has his limits. After all,
After a mentally draining 3-hour long class in the morning and physically exhausting afternoon to evening volleyball training, Tsukishima grumbly makes his way to your apartment. He inwardly thanks all the deities out there for having the building so close to the gym and the university because it doesn’t take him too long to reach your unit—especially thanks to his big steps and power walking with the remaining energy he has, the would-be 10-minute walk became somewhat 5 minutes.
The tall blond takes out his own sets of keys from his pocket before turning it in the keyhole and opening the door. He messily takes off his shoes as he calls out a tired “Hey”, your voice answering with a jolly “Hey Kei!” soon after. He feels a little bit off with the interaction and he wonders why for a little while.
Somehow saying his greetings makes him feel incomplete all of a sudden despite saying it a dozen times whenever he stays over at your place. Too tired to really think about it, he shrugs the thought off to the back of his head for later.
It doesn’t take too long for him to find you on the couch, flopped comfortably while watching a Netflix movie while a blanket engulfs your form and pillows surrounding you— which admittedly makes him smile despite a long and rough day. Tsukishima muses how you never fail to make him feel all sorts of things.
He doesn’t take too much time to walk towards where you are and place a soft kiss on the top of your head, nuzzling his head for a few more seconds before he pulls away which makes you giggle.
“Hmmm. Are you still hungry? I made your share for dinner. It’s in the microwave if you want to eat.” You say as you give him a kiss on the cheek in return.
“I think I’ll pass, the team dinner has me full. I’m sorry I didn’t text you sooner about it.”
“It’s okay Kei. It was a last minute decision by your team so I understand.”
Affection bursts in his chest as you smile genuinely at him. He appreciates you very much and he hopes that he’s able to show that to you clearly. Tsukishima breaks out of his reverie when he hears your voice again,
“Do you want to bathe then? I can prepare a warm bath now.”
Your eyes crinkle the slightest as you look up at him and he doesn’t want to do anything other than to kiss you right then and there.
So he does.
He leans down and captures your lips with his. Tsukishima isn’t really the type for physical affections but when it comes to you it comes as naturally as breathing. You make him do things he doesn’t usually do but he thinks maybe it’s not a bad thing. He breaks the sweet kiss but doesn’t pull away as he smiles gently against your cherry flavoured lips (your favorite lip balm he notes in his head). He lets a few seconds pass before he pulls back completely.
“It’s fine. I’ll just go and take a quick shower.”
“Oh okay, can I do your skincare routine after you finish though?”
You ask him so sweetly, how can he refuse? He’s not gonna admit it outloud but you’ve got him wrapped around your finger.
“Sure.”
And with that he walks away from you to go to the bathroom.
It doesn’t take Tsukishima too long to finish his shower.
Soon he’s putting on the extra clothes he left in your apartment and calls out to you. You take that as a signal of him finishing up and ready to start his skincare routine with you.
You bounce excitedly to reach him and he can’t help but to let out a short laugh at your cuteness, to which he covers up with a cough. You look at him confusedly before shaking your head and proceed to prepare the products. He watches you carefully before zoning out in the process due to his tiredness, but when he feels a light tug on his shirt he focuses his attention back on you.
“Come closer here Kei.”
You say as you hop to sit on the bathroom counter to elevate yourself high enough for you to be at eye level with Tsukishima in order to make things easier for the both of you.
You cup his face with both of your hands and start applying the first product to his face. This is one of his favorite things to do with you. You’re always so gentle with your touch and it never fails to make him relax. The quietness of the moment is broken when you start to hum the recent song that’s been stuck in your head and he feels his insides warm all over again. He doesn’t know what it is but the off feeling from earlier on the doorstep comes back. His gaze never falters on your face as he mulls over this foreign but familiar feeling he’s been experiencing.
“Stop frowning Kei, the skincare routine won’t have any effect if you’re gonna have wrinkles so early because of it!”
You teasingly comment, usually he will let out a teasing remark but not this time. Because this time, something clicks in him. It’s like he finally finds the missing piece of the puzzle right in front of him.
Oh.
This is the reason why he felt so weird earlier saying his greetings and hearing yours.
Before he can stop himself, the words are already slipping out of his mouth.
“Hey.”
“Hmm.” you hummed.
“Want to move in with me?”
It’s because he wants to say “I’m home” and for you to respond with a warm “welcome home”.
The question is so sudden that you stop with what you’re doing and look at him with comically wide eyes. He would’ve laughed at you for it at any other time but not now. Not when his heart is hammering so strongly against his chest that he feels like you can hear it.
He’s nervous. His palms are suddenly sweating but then you smile. That smile you reserve just for him and him alone.
“Okay.” You whisper. It’s as if you can’t believe what’s happening either. “When?”
“After we graduate.”
You nod at him meekly as you start to work on his skincare once more but you don’t get the chance when he pulls you in, his arms wrapped around your middle as his head rests against your shoulder.
He wants to move in with you, he realizes. He wants to come home to you every time he’s tired and exhausted, when his mind is on overdrive with everything going on. Because whenever he’s with you he’s in peace. The most tranquil he’s ever been.
But that’s not all, no.
He realizes he loves you. Sincerely and without a doubt.
He wants to say it, it’s already at the tip of his tongue, but he doesn’t know if it’s the right time. You both agreed to take the relationship and your feelings slowly. He’s scared. He’s afraid. He doesn’t know what to do with the information. And as if you’ve understood, you kiss his forehead,
“I love you.”
He wants to cry out in happiness but the thing that comes out of him is,
“I love you too, idiot.”
Yes, with you his heart is forever at ease.