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Tadashi eyed the beer that edged closer to room temperature as the minutes dragged on. Rather than buying a different one after his disgust with the first sip, he slowly choked it down. Yachi chattered away at her date’s side, a pretty dark-haired girl who wasn’t Kiyoko. He wondered how long Yachi would settle.
He sipped the beer. Grimaced. Considered downing the rest as it only became less palatable by the second. Decided against it because then he’d either have to buy another or look like some weirdo sitting in a bar without a drink.
The remaining notes of some amateur singer died out and he hid a sigh of relief. She wasn’t bad, per se, but that didn’t mean she was good. He blamed Tsukki for ruining his perfectly normal taste in music with his fancy headphones and a constantly growing list of reccommendations. Another band took the stage and he frowned. Apparently open mic night wasn’t his thing.
This band didn’t look all too promising. Simply put, they looked loud. Some guy with ash blond hair and grey tips adjusted the mic. Another with dark hair and a bowl-cut (yikes) fiddled with a guitar. A brunette shouted something from her seat at the drum set at their bass player who was pointing and laughing at their guitarist. He caught Tadashi’s interest for a moment, his smile wide and carefree. He had that look about him that radiated comfort in his own skin, bordering on cockiness. He was tall with bleached blond hair and an undercut. High school Tadashi might have swooned.
He swept his gaze over the rest of the bar, doing his best not to look bored out of his skull. He was not successful.
“Yamaguchi!” Yachi chirped, leaning into his space to be heard. He quirked an eyebrow at her and took another sip of his beer.
“These are the guys we came for, the drummer is a friend of Naomi’s.”
Tadashi nodded, looking over the band again. Judging by their clothing choices and general punk rock appearances, he didn’t have high hopes. Still, he ventured, “Are they any good?”
Yachi giggled. “From what I was told, yeah. You don’t look too impressed. Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Tadashi responded with a tight smile. It wasn’t Yachi’s fault his night had been lackluster so far. He’d tally that up to being overworked and the bar being a bit too crowded for his taste. He didn’t actually mind third-wheeling that much. Getting to spend time with Yachi despite their busy schedules was worth it.
“She’s pretty,” Tadashi teased, bumping his arm lightly against Yachi’s. “She looks so familiar, I can’t seem to place it though.”
Yachi shreiked and swatted at his chest, her face flushing a deep pink right on cue. “Shut up!”
Tadashi shook his head with a chuckle. “I don’t know why you don’t just go for it. All this girl has talked about all night is this friend of hers. And we both know Kiyoko is single and adores the hell out of you.”
Yachi balled up her fists and put on her angriest face– which was adorable, by the way– before ultimately slumping in defeat. “I know, but it’s just so scary. She’s like– a literal goddess!”
“So you take out a whole line of lookalikes who hardly give you the time of day?”
Yachi’s frown deepened and Tadashi put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Yachi, we both know you’re amazing. And Kiyoko does, too. What’s holding you back?”
Soft brown eyes met his, searching. “I don’t know… Just need a little push or something.”
Tadashi hummed, glancing over at Yachi’s date. She jumped and cheered, waving her arms at the stage, not seeming to even notice Yachi at all. He began to speak but his voice was drowned out by the vocalist introducing their band. Tadashi glowered and Yachi gave him a tight smile, leaning in to shout into his ear.
“Let’s just have fun!”
With a nod, he glanced down at his half-empty beer. It was a terrible idea. He knew that. Still, he downed the rest in one go and excused himself to grab another. While waiting on his drink he sent out a quick invitation to Kiyoko. If she made it out and Yachi had gained her date’s attention, at least it would leave Tadashi with someone to talk to.
Just as the bartender slid him his drink, the band started up. The bass came in first, low and smooth, followed quickly by the drums and guitar. The singer brought the mic before his lips, his voice sweeter than Tadashi had imagined it would sound. He exchanged a grin with the guitarist and the volume crescendoed into something more like Tadashi had thought they’d sound like, but pleasant rather than simply loud.
He took in the sight of them all clearly enjoying themselves, all bright smiles or wicked grins. There was a tempo change as his eyes fell on the bassist, throwing his head back in laughter. Tadashi almost thought he caught a flash of sliver on his tongue and suppressed a shiver.
“They’re really good!” Yachi exclaimed brightly from his side.
He grinned, leaning down to be better heard, “They are.”
His eyes tracked the bass player as they paused between songs, the way he carded a hand through his hair but a few strands still fell back into his eyes. He looked tall. Tadashi kind of wanted to climb him like a tree. He took a large gulp of his drink to force the thought down. He wasn’t here to get laid. He was here to support Yachi.
It helped to shove away those thoughts when the bassist sent a wink to someone in the crowd who gave a whoop. Of course he was probably taken, and likely also straight. He was good eye candy though, so Tadashi allowed his attention to keep returning to him, fascinated in the way practiced fingers expertly moved over the strings of his bass.
The instrument itself seemed to burst with the man’s personality. It looked inexpensive; well cared for but worn. Originally black, there were spatters of purple and yellow, as well as smaller things in white marker. It was hard to make out from this distance, but he swore he could even see a few tic-tac-toe games. He wondered who the winner was.
Apparently noticing his interest, Yachi elbowed him and waggled her eyebrows.
“Shut up,” Tadashi mumbled into his glass.
“He’s cute!”
He rolled his eyes. “And probably straight.”
Yachi deflated a bit. The sight tugged at his heartstrings. “If he comes over after, I'll say hi.”
She perked up again, sending a wave of relief through him. “I’ll see if Naomi can set you up,” she assured with a wink before sidling up next to her date. Tadashi wondered where he’d be without her. Probably at home in his bed, scrolling through tv shows that would fail to capture his interest.
He returned his attention to the band, trying– and failing– not to stare at the man on bass. He looked like he was having so much fun, fingers dancing along the strings while his hips swayed a bit to the beat and his head bobbed along. Not once did that giant smile leave his face. Tadashi found himself smiling and nodding along as well, his energy strangely contagious. It helped that the band was genuinely good.
“All right, this last song goes out to someone special but I’m not allowed to say who,” the singer announced with a smirk. He exchanged a knowing glance with the bassist, who laughed, and Tadashi felt his shoulders slump minutely. Still, he was here for Yachi. He brushed aside the disappointment and spared a glance in her direction. She was smiling, leaning in against her date’s shoulder with an arm around her waist. Good for her.
A quick check of his phone informed him that Kiyoko had other plans for the night. If the text was anything to go by, they were important, too. Tadashi wished her luck and a good night, not wanting to pry despite his curiosity.
The vocalist came back in, singing what must have been a love song though it didn’t particularly sound like one. He slid his phone away and looked back up to the stage only to find blond guy looking directly at him. Tadashi’s breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. No, surely he’d just caught his friend’s eye. If she was friends with the percussionist, then she must get along with the rest of the band, right?
Tadashi took a drink, feeling a bit warmer than he had moments ago. Only, when he chanced another glance at that stupidly attractive man, he was laughing. He got the feeling it was at his expense and bit the inside of his cheek, painfully aware his face must have been going a bit pink. Infuriatingly, bass player guy met his eyes again and winked.
Yachi elbowed him in the ribs smugly. “Looks like he’s not straight!”
Tadashi coughed into his elbow, fumbling for a response.
“Oh, yeah. That’s Terushima,” Yachi’s date informed. “He’s horrible.”
Well, that’s nice.
He downed the rest of his drink and headed back over to the bar with the promise of the next round on him. He sighed as he tried to find an opening, both relieved and disappointed when the band started packing up to make way for the next group.
In a wildly uncharacteristic stroke of good luck, Tadashi made it back to the table with three drinks in hand without managing to spill them. Yachi greeted him with a bright thank you and Naomi nodded as they both reached for their drinks. They had just enough time for a heavy silence to fall over them, somehow worsened by the liveliness of the other conversations around them, before a hand ruffled Naomi’s hair.
“Hey, girlie,” greeted none other than the blond from the band. He was… Shorter up close, but just as– Tadashi didn’t know the correct word for it: Dreamy? Hot? Drop dead gorgeous? He didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the atmosphere of the bar, but he kind of wanted his tongue down his throat?
What?! Stop that, you’re here as Yachi’s wingman!
“Yikes, when are you gonna let me trim your hair? Oh– Who’s this?”
Terushima smiled down at Yachi like he was just noticing her, dropping Naomi’s hair that definitely didn’t look like it needed trimming. “You’re adorable, way out of Naomi’s league for su– Ow!”
Tadashi snickered behind his hand as Naomi elbowed him harshly in the side. “This is my date. Her name’s Yachi and she’s definitely not interested in you.”
Terushima chuckled good-naturedly and held out a hand, shaking Yachi’s.
“Pleased to meet you,” Yachi giggled. “You’re Terushima, right?”
“I see you’ve heard of me!”
The rest of the band trickled in behind him, the drummer shoving him to the side and nearly into Tadashi. Thankfully, he sidestepped in time and reached out a hand to steady him. Thankfully, he reminded himself when light brown eyes flitted to his and a grin broke out over his stupidly handsome face.
“Heya, Freckles. Thanks for catching me.”
Bowl-cut scoffed and singer guy rolled his eyes. Tadashi, on the other hand, seemed to have swallowed his tongue. He nodded. Standing face-to-face, he found he was taller. It could only have been an inch or so, just a few centimeters, but the thought made him smirk inwardly. So much for climbing him like a tree.
“You okay?” he asked stupidly.
“Better now,” Terushima replied, possibly even more stupidly. Why was it kind of charming?
Snap out of it, Tadashi!
He yanked his hand away from where it still rested on the man’s shoulder. “Uh, hi. I’m Yamaguchi Tadashi.”
“Hm. I’m Terushima Yuji. Can I call you Freckles?”
Tadashi scrunched his nose a bit, still none too fond of the brown clusters spattering his skin. Terushima chuckled goodnaturedly.
“Aw, c’mon. What’s that face for?” He leaned in, crowding just a bit closer than probably necessary and pressing the tip of his finger to Tadashi’s nose. Tadashi caught a whiff of his cologne and had to fight off a pleased sigh. Why did he smell so good? “They’re cute, you know. Like someone sprinkled cinnamon sugar all over your face. I had cinnamon sugar on my toast this morning, it’s great.”
Tadashi sputtered, pulled forcefully from his reverie. He was saved by bowl-cut giving Terushima a firm smack to the back of the head. “Quit your weird flirting. Semi and I are going to find Shirabu, are you coming or staying here?”
Terushima puffed up his chest and pouted. “I’m staying here with the nice guy who doesn’t hit me.”
“I mean, just because I haven’t hit you yet doesn’t mean I won’t,” Tadashi quipped before he could think to stop himself.
As he opened his mouth to apologize for overstepping any boundaries, Terushima’s eyes lit up and he grinned. “Didn’t peg you for the violent type, Freckles.”
“If you pegged me at all, I think I’d remember,” Tadashi mumbled into his glass, feeling his face grow hot the next instant. Oh Gods, get ahold of yourself, Tadashi. Stupid horny brain. Stupid low alcohol tolerance. He really needed to get out more. Or perhaps never again.
Upon lowering the glass, he took in Terushima’s face again. He couldn’t quite tell if his expression was one of surprise or delight. Was that a blush creeping over his ears?
“Nice, Yamaguchi,” Yachi giggled. He scrubbed a hand over his face. She’d never let him live this down. At least he could trust her not to tell everyone else how much of a mess he was, unlike Hinata or Kageyama.
Terushima took a half step closer, grinning despite what definitely looked like a blush spread over his insanely flawless cheeks. “You’re funny.”
“Ah-” Tadashi began hoarsely and cleared his throat. “Thanks?”
Terushima chuckled softly. “You’re fine, I don’t bite. And I know I come across as flirty but I think you’re super cool and I’d love to actually get to know you better.”
Well, that was… Strangely comforting. Paired with the inviting smile creating a singular dimple on Terushima’s right cheek, Tadashi felt more at ease. He couldn’t help but smile back, some of his nerves dissipating.
Tadashi swore he hadn’t met someone this interesting before. He had so many stories, including one about a goose and an IKEA? He didn’t have a favorite color and hated the question. Colors looked the best when paired with other colors, after all. He was a part-time hair apprentice and a full-time menace to society. He’d taught himself to play bass when he was younger but it didn’t manage to hold his attention until years later when Hana told him he should join her band.
He was charming and goofy and carefree, someone who was so shamelessly himself in ways that Tadashi couldn’t help but admire. His prior assumption that Terushima was cocky wasn’t incorrect, but it reflected a confidence in himself rather than a disdain for others.
After what only felt like a half hour, Yachi poked his side and regrettably informed him that she had to get going. He chose to ignore her teasing smile and that knowing glint in her eyes.
He gave her a tight hug and turned to wave goodbye to the other girls, but they were already gone.
“They had some post-show ritual that they wanted to do and I felt like a third wheel so I told them I was tired and needed to head home,” Yachi explained sheepishly.
Terushima piped up cheerfully. “Oh, yeah! They always go get ice cream after a show. Hana has had a massive crush on Naomi for months but she swore me to secrecy.”
He grinned for a few moments before realization dawned over him. “Wait, you guys can’t tell her I told you. She’ll kill me. For real, she’s already told me how she would do it and everything.”
Yachi and Tadashi laughed. “Your secret’s safe with us,” Yachi assured before turning to Tadashi. “But I’m going home, don’t have too much fun.”
He frowned and pulled her in for another hug, dropping his voice low. “If I ask him out, will you talk to Kiyoko?”
“That’s hardly fair,” she whispered back fiercely. Then, more timidly: “Give me a week?”
Tadashi grinned, holding out his hand. “You know I believe in you.”
She groaned dramatically and shook it. “I know, shush.”
He knew he’d fucked up when Yachi turned to hug Terushima. His eyes widened and fell on Tadashi before he chuckled and whispered something back conspiratorially.
“Bye, Yamaguchi!” Yachi sang before practically skipping off.
Terushima sidled up to him with a smirk.
“So, do I get to know what you guys were whispering about?” Tadashi began suspiciously.
Terushima grinned wider. “She was just telling me to take it easy on you because she hasn’t seen you this awkward since high school apparently? Said something about you running facefirst into a wall because a girl smiled at you.”
Planting his palms securely over his face, Tadashi groaned. It only served to make Terushima laugh. “What? I think it’s cute!”
“Yeah, because you weren’t there!” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory. “She wasn’t even smiling at me, she was smiling at my friend. It was horrible.”
“Sounds rough, buddy,” Terushima laughed, patting him on the arm. “I’d smile at you over your friend any day.”
Tadashi scowled. “You haven’t seen my friend.”
“Don’t need to. I’d still choose you.”
Tadashi felt his face heat up a bit and redirected his focus towards a loose thread on his sweatshirt, twisting it around but not pulling.
Terushima looked him over for a few beats before breaking the silence. “Can I get your number?”
“Oh,” Tadashi fumbled for his phone. In his defense, he was out of practice when it came to dating. Or flirting. Or whatever this was. He unlocked his phone and handed it over. “Yeah, sure.”
“Great,” Terushima grinned, taking it all in stride. “You better text. How do you feel about roller coasters?”
Tadashi accepted his phone back, smiling softly at the Terushima ;) contact displayed on the screen. “Wait, what?”
The blond threw his arms out excitedly. “For our first date! Unless you’d rather do the dinner and a movie thing but I always thought that was kind of boring.”
“Oh,” Tadashi allowed. He’d never been to an amusement park as a date. The last time he’d went was with a group from Karasuno in their third year, and Hinata had thrown up after the first ride. This sounded a bit more promising. “Yeah, I like roller coasters.”
“Great. Looking forward to that text, Freckles.”
Terushima winked and sauntered off. Tadashi watched him go before sending a text.
Hey. It’s Freckles :)