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I kept my eyes glued to my book, not even focusing on the page, and intentionally ignored everything around me. I really didn’t want to talk to anyone right now.
Or rather, a very specific someone. A tall blonde athletic volleyball player that had recently decided that I was his newest entertainment.
I gripped the edges of my book as I heard someone walking close by. I leaned forward, peeking through the rows of books. When I didn’t see anyone, I let out the breath that I had been holding.
The two of us had started bantering back and forth a while ago and it had been fun to laugh and snark at each other. I wasn’t sure that we were friends, or maybe we were, I didn’t know, but eventually, I started looking forward to our daily arguments.
It had taken me much too long to realize what was going on. Which was why I was now hiding out in the darkest corner of the library because I had finally recognized what it was.
I had figured out that I had developed a crush on Tsukishima when I felt my heart pounding after a rather heated back and forth. He had this smirk on his face that made me want to either hit him or kiss him. That’s when I realized that I liked him.
Even now I could feel the blush stinging my face with the acknowledgment. If he knew that I had a crush on him, he was going to be relentless. And the worst part of it was that I wasn’t even sure that he liked me the same way.
The sound of footsteps had me looking around frantically. I was hiding out in a dark corner of the library. It was small and just a little cramped but more often than not, people didn’t know that this spot was even here so it made a great place to escape to when I needed a few moments to myself.
Once the footsteps receded, I relaxed back against the wall again. I picked up my phone, the screen lighting up the corner briefly as I checked the time. I still had a while before my next class.
I had deliberately skipped my last one just so I wouldn’t see Tsukishima. I wasn’t sure that I was up for one of our arguments because now there was a chance that I was going to make an absolute idiot of myself in front of him.
I needed some time to collect my thoughts. So that when I saw him again, I could act normal in front of him. Not a blushing mess.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t see the pair of legs until they were right in front of me.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding?”
I clutched the book, my fingers white-knuckled on the edges. I swallowed and looked up at the owner of the voice that I knew so well.
Tsukishima was standing right in front of me, his trademark smirk on his face. I felt the beginnings of a blush form on my cheeks and I scowled at him, desperately hoping that it was too dark in my private corner for him to see.
I deliberately kept my mouth shut, instead cocking an eyebrow and looking pointedly back at my book. I turned a page.
“Are you ignoring me?” His voice held a note of amusement.
I stared at the words on the page in front of me, not really seeing them. Hoping against hope that he would just leave. Of course, he didn’t, he moved closer.
“You interrupt my reading and this book will become a lethal weapon.”
“I’d like to see that actually.”
“I’m serious, Tsukishima,” I threatened, “I will brain you over the head with this.”
Movement caused me to look back up at him, only to watch as he maneuvered his long frame to sit beside me on the floor. I gaped at him, my mouth opening in shock before I tried to quickly compose myself. After a couple of grunts, he had situated himself so that we were pressed up against one another, side to side.
“Threat received,” he grinned over at me, that stupid smirk still on his face. “Can I just sit here then? I promise I’ll be quiet.”
I squinted at him suspiciously, even as my heart fluttered in my chest from how close he was.
He raised an eyebrow, “What?”
“What are you doing?”
“Sitting here. Do you need to borrow my glasses?”
I huffed at him, my heart trying to pound out of my chest at our proximity. Every movement had us brushing up against one another. Another blush was trying to climb up my face so I squinted at him for a moment longer before shaking my head and turning my attention back to my book.
I felt him adjusting his legs as he tried to get comfortable, but I refused to look at him directly. Instead, I watched him out of my peripheral.
He had crossed his legs at the ankles, matching me, and leaned his head back on the wall, closing his eyes. He let out a long sigh after a few moments.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I flipped my book closed, the little thump, too loud in the quiet as I turned towards him, “Ok, seriously, what are you doing here?”
He turned his head slightly, opening one eye to look at me bemusedly, “Resting.”
“Tsukishima,” I growled.
He let out a heavy sigh like I was asking him to move the world before he removed his glasses and swiped a hand over his face.
I waited, impatiently tapping my fingers against the cover of my book.
His eyebrows dipped in irritation at the sound and when he put his glasses back on he scowled at my offending digits. He glanced back up at my face then his hand snapped out, covering mine, holding my fingers in place.
We were now both half turned towards the other, so close that if I leaned forward a little more, I could kiss him. I did my best to keep my eyes focused on his, so as to not betray my thoughts.
Tsukishima didn’t bother, letting his gaze roam over my face, dragging down from my eyes to my mouth and back up again. I sucked in a breath.
He reached out, letting my hand go, his thumb dragging lightly against my cheek, making my mouth go dry.
“You are absolutely infuriating, you know that?”
“It’s my one goal in life,” my voice cracked slightly, betraying my nerves.
His lips quirked in a smirk, “To frustrate me? I’m honored.”
“As you should be.” I swallowed, trying to talk around my heart in my throat, “Are you going to answer my question?”
“I’m thinking about it.”
“Yes, I can see the smoke coming out of your ears.”
He chuckled, “What do I get if I answer?”
“Me not braining you with my book, for a start.”
“How about I get a kiss?” He smirked.
My heart stopped in my chest, “What?”
“A kiss. Want me to demonstrate?” His eyelids lowered a bit, leaning forward till I could feel his breath ghosting against my lips.
I pulled away slightly, “Don’t toy with me, Tsukishima.”
“With you? Never. You’d brain me, remember?”
His smirk turned into a grin and I felt his hand slide towards the back of my head, drawing my face closer to his. I felt my heart jumpstart back in my chest, slamming against my ribs as I realized what he was planning. He leaned forward another inch, slowly moving us closer together.
“Tell me to stop and I will.”
“Don’t you dare.”
His lips met mine, hesitantly, like he was waiting for me to pull away. I kissed him back, leaning into him. He let out a pleased hum against my mouth, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, his hand tightening in my hair like he was trying to keep me from leaving. I nipped his bottom lip, eliciting a small groan from him that I felt all the way down to my toes.
He lifted his head a bit, staring into my eyes for what felt like an eternity before he crashed his head back down towards mine, meeting me with a rough, hungry kiss.
I wasn’t certain how long we had been making out when I heard a phone buzzing beside us. We pulled away from each other, panting heavily.
I blinked rapidly, my thoughts slowly returning back to me. Tsukishima groaned as he pulled his phone from beside him, stopping the offending noise with a flick of his fingers.
He turned back to me, a strange look on his face.
I raised an eyebrow, “What?”
He looked away briefly before resettling his gaze back on me, “I don’t…” He paused, collecting himself, “I’m not the most…expressive guy and I realize that this may be a bit uh, backward, but-”
“Yes.”
His mouth opened and closed awkwardly and I grinned at him.
“Did I render you speechless, Tsukishima?”
His smirk returned after a moment, “Think you know me so well, huh?”
I smirked back at him, “I intend to.”