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It didn't take long for Tadashi to realize that university wasn't going to be like high school, he didn't have Kei to help him when he was needing someone to tutor or just help him out with his homework. The worst part wasn't that he had two chemistry classes in one sitting or that he was still made fun of because of his freckles - much less subtle from when he was a kid though -, the absolutely worst part was that Oikawa Tooru, Aobajousai's ex-captain and Karasuno's rival back in the day - especially Tobio's -, was taking the same major as him and looked like he managed to cross paths with him quite easily - they didn’t have all the same classes because of the two years gap and Tadashi felt like he was being followed, the smirk plastered on Tooru's face when their eyes met was obvious.
It got much worse when Tadashi finally decided to enter the volleyball team, of course Tooru would be the captain, he was already on his third year and everybody loved him - even the ones who were there longer -, but what he didn't understand was why Tooru would only bother and bully him, using his captain privilege - if that even existed - as an excuse to force him to mop the whole court before leaving while his majesty watched, to buy drinks and food for him while the rest were at the lockers getting changed or ask him to wash his uniform.
"We're done for today," Tooru said and the sky was already getting dark, everyone looked dead tired, it was a lot harder to conciliate studies with sports, way harder than when Tadashi was in Karasuno. "Except you, Yamaguchi."
Silence followed Tooru's voice and someone dared whistle as Tadashi stared at his feet and watched as his teammates left - he might have messed something up, that should be it, Tooru wouldn’t ask him to stay behind just to order him to run some errand, he usually asked him without making ceremony. Tooru didn't come to talk to him straight up, he took a look around the whole gymnasium to see if there was anything out of place before slowly making his way towards Tadashi with a small smile on his lips.
"So." he started and took a seat next to the apprehensive boy, he had no idea of what business Tooru had with him and why would he want him to stay behind.
"So?" he retorted and raised one of his brows, he sighed, rolled his eyes - an old habit he got from Kei - and leaned his back on the wall. "What do you want? I still have that biochem paper to finish."
"Nothing much," Tooru started and trailed off, coughing and pushing his sweaty hair away from his face while staring at Tadashi. "I wanted to ask if you want to get something to eat with me."
"Ahh obviously, you'd say something like this. I promise I will practice more and get better at serving, I'm not you and I don't like warming up the bench for eternity," Tadashi mumbled and looked down at his fingers, he stopped for a moment and looked back at Tooru. "Wait, did you just ask me out for dinner? What the fuck."
"Ah wow, you're so slow," Tooru said. "And I thought you were the clever type."
Tadashi looked outraged and Tooru snickered at his expression.
"I think you don't understand," Tooru said and rested next to Tadashi, his back on the wall and eyes staring ahead of them. "But we do know each for a very long time, right?" Tadashi nodded, he knew that Tooru didn't see his movement but he already knew the answer so there was no need for that. "Well, of course that ever since, a lot of girls and boys had asked me out, but I never accepted any of that, mostly because I liked someone during that time."
Tadashi rolled his eyes once again, did Tooru really need to keep boasting himself up like that? "And what do I have to do with all of that?" he asked and Tooru looked like he was about to rip his hair off his head with his bare hands.
"Damn, you're really slow, I'm going to hit your head to see if you can process what I'm trying to say here," he half yelled and Tadashi; as much as he wished to understand what the stupid captain was telling him, his brain just wouldn't cooperate. "What I mean is that I still like the person I was infatuated with back in high school."
"Good for you? I bet they'd be too stupid to-" and then, Tooru was groaning as he got up and aggressively pulled Tadashi up by the collar of his shirt, almost choking him in the process but soon apologizing when he noticed that his face was starting to go from red to purple.
"Sorry, sorry, my bad, I didn't intend to be violent, but you're freaking frustrating," he complained as he smoothed out Tadashi's now wrinkled uniform. "You still don't get this?" Tadashi shook his head. "Geez, even Tobio-chan wouldn't be this dense."
Tadashi snorted and pretended to be offended by such stupid comparison.
"Can I do something I have always wanted to?" Tooru asked and Tadashi was afraid of saying no, he gave his response in the form of a nod and closed his eyes, waiting for a punch or, kind of unreal even in his wildest thoughts, a kiss, he didn't expect to feel Tooru's thumb caressing his cheeks and travelling to the tip of his nose, he opened his eyes and was met with Tooru's eyes - his face was too close too -, showing something that looked like adoration, there was a different kind of sparkle in his eyes as he stared into them. "Your freckles are so cute," Tooru whispered and kept on carefully rubbing Tadashi's face and he flushed red, he couldn't say anything, his words were gone - something in between what the hell are you doing? and please, take your time. "You're adorable."
Tadashi pressed his eyes shut when he felt Tooru's lips on his nose, he wanted to laugh but his hands were shaking and his voice was gone, he opened his eyes just a little to see that Tooru also had his eyes closed and was slowly pressing soft kisses on his cheeks, they felt like butterflies gently fluttering their wings on his face.
And then he reached his lips, his hands were still holding his face until one of Tooru's hands slid all the way to his hair, pushing it back and tangling his fingers on his short locks.
This is funny, really funny, Tadashi thought and smiled against Tooru's lips because he never once felt like pushing him away. Just as he thought that, Tooru motioned to stop and Tadashi's hands automatically fisted his jersey and he pulled him back, smacking their lips together one more time as he tilted his head and deepened their kiss, catching Tooru by surprise
When Tadashi was short on oxygen - he had been kissing Tooru earnestly and he almost forgot to breath -, he released Tooru and blushed deep red, hiding behind his hands and shaking his shoulders.
"What are you doing?" Tooru asked licking his lips and opening his arms, embracing Tadashi and pecking him wherever he could reach - the top of his head in this case.
"Nothing," he said, voice muffled. "Just chilling and hiding my ridiculous face."
"Didn't I just say you're cute?" Tooru teased and Tadashi lowered his hands to argue - I am not cute. "Sorry, I meant handsome, but your freckles are still cute." and Tooru managed to make Tadashi's blush get even worse.
"Shut up," he said and threw a punch at Tooru's arm. "Didn't you offer to pay for my dinner? Let's go before it gets late."
And then he stormed towards the exit door, grabbing his shoulder bag and not looking back. Tooru smiled, a big genuine smile, and ran after him.
"Hey!" he shouted. "I never said I'd pay for your food."