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“Thats it!” Ennoshita snapped.
They’d finally done it now. They’d sent the captain into what the now second and third years called: “Daichi mode”.
“I'm sorry but if you two can’t get along, then you just can’t be on the court.” Ennoshita shut his eyes and pressed his hands to his head, as if racking his brain for a fitting punishment.
It's not like Tsukishima and Kageyama had been doing anything out of the ordinary. They bickered at a near constant rate, they'd been doing it every practice for over a year. Today didn't seem any worse than normal, but then again, everyone does have a breaking point. A redundant argument about Tsukishima's jump height must be Ennoshita's.
“Yamaguchi. Put them in the closet.” He sounded stern, unwavering.
“What!” Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi all cried to varying degrees of anger.
“The closet?!” Tsukishima exclaimed, there was likely nothing he wanted less than to be locked in a tight space with Kageyama.
Kageyama, however couldn’t care less who it was he was locked up with, but there was no way he was okay with spending the last hour of practice off the court.
“You can’t be serious.” He protested.
“Oh but I am.” Ennoshita replied flatly. “Yamaguchi, Grab them.”
Yamaguchi acted as directed, literally grabbing Kageyama by the collar and dragging him towards Tsukishima, who he also grabbed by the collar, though with less ease.
“Tadashi?”
“Sorry Tsukki.” He didn’t look very sorry though. In fact the menacing grin on his face led Kageyama to believe there might be something else going on entirely. “Captains orders.”
And he dragged them. Yamaguchi literally dragged the two taller boys to the closet, shoved them in, and slammed the door in their sorry faces.
“You can come out when you’ve learnt to be friends.” Ennoshita said from beyond the door, presumably locking it at the same time.
“Have fun,” Yamaguchi sang as he walked away, his and Ennoshita’s footsteps getting quieter and quieter as they rejoined the rest of the team to finish practice. Kageyama could hear the pandemonium from beyond the confined walls of the closet. It wasn’t likely much of anything would be getting done the rest of morning practice, especially given that they no longer had a setter on one team.
After the muffled sounds of sneakers squeaking on the polished wood and balls slamming into the floor filled the gym again, Kageyama finally registered the dire situation he was now in. He was locked in a cupboard with Tsukishima. Who was silent and staring at him. Like, really staring.
They’d been thrown in about a two minutes ago and neither had moved an inch or said a single word. And they were really just thrown in there, their long legs were all tangled and Tuskishima’s hand was ungracefully trapped under Kageyama’s ass.
Shit.
In an instant, the two of them were writhing, flinging themselves off and away from the other. The problem was, though, the really wasn’t enough space in the closet for all this movement. They ended up just kicking each other and and hitting themselves against the walls. Eventunally it seemed that they were just fighting each other again.
The distinctive THUD of a volleyball slamming into the door left them both frozen. Ennoshita had really meant it. They weren’t coming out of there ‘till they were friends. Not teammates. Not people who can tolerate each other’s existence. Friends. For the first time, Kageyama entertained the possibility that he would live the rest of his life locked in closet. With a stupid jerk none the less.
“This sucks.” He breathed, limbs now confined to his designated half of the closet.
“Yeah, no shit.” Tsukishima closed his eyes and let his head rest again the wall.
Tsukishima seemed calm, like he couldn’t care less about missing practice. He probably couldn’t. Kageyama watched him in silence, the only sound being the feint, taunting whispers of volleyball practice in the background and the deep breaths of the two boys as seconds passed. Maybe it was hours. It was hard for Kageyama to tell when his heart was beating so damn fast.
Tsukishima, as if he could feel Kageyama’s gaze, opened one eye, made a unintelligible face, then scoffed.
“What?!”
“Nothing.”
“Why’d you make that face?”
“What face?” Tsukishima mused.
“The one you just made!”
“I didn’t make a face.” Tsukishima closed his eyes once again, returning his head to it’s peaceful place against the wall. “This is just what my face looks like.”
“It is so not!” Kageyama was starting to get riled up again. There was no way he was getting out of this closet. He would never be able to get along with this asshole. “You made a face! Don’t deny-“
Tsukishima huffed, opening his eyes fully. “You’d think you’d be able to handle being in here a bit better.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, asshole?!”
“You have a lot of experience with the closet, don't you Kageyama?” He went back to his resting position, this time with a slight smirk on his face.
“What? I don’t even have a closet. I keep all my clothes in drawers.” Kageyama responded.
Then the unimaginable happened, Tsukishima laughed, like genuinely laughed. “You really are stupid, aren’t you?”
“You’re stupid.” Kageyama retorted. It was the best he could come up with on short notice.
“Remember that time I literally had to tutor you… and you still failed.”
“Shut up.”
“And it wasn’t like Hinata, who only messed up numbering the questions, I mean you actually just failed!” Tsukishima giggled slightly, but not the taunting giggle he usually did, this was something else. If Kageyama didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought he was actually amused by him. But despite what Tsukishima believes, he did know better; Tsukishima had no feelings. “How embarrassing, to be dumber than the shrimp.”
“I said shut up!”
Kageyama reached to grab the front of Tsukishima’s shirt, but unfortunately the structure of the closet had other plans. His head hit a shelf with a hard WACK, causing a volleyball to roll of and bonk him on the head like a damn cartoon. He grabbed the volleyball and in suppressing the urge to hit it directly into Tsukishima's face, held it to his chest.
Tsukishima laughed uncontrollably. He laughed so hard he had to clench his stomach, witnesses report he may have even started crying (Tsukishima would firmly deny this heinous allegation).
“Is that laughing I hear?” A soft voice from beyond the closet door asked.
The two trapped boys went silent. Caught.
“I know that was you, Tsukishima.” The voice, Hinata, taunted. “I just came to check up on you… Oh! And I brought you guys a snack!” He added cheerfully. “I can only give you one though, or else I’ll have none let for lunch. So if you both want it you have to share.”
Kageyama honestly hadn’t realised how hungry he was. But now that food had been brought into the forefront of his mind, he felt ravenous.
The door creaked open ever so slightly, just enough for Hinata to slip a packet of chips into the dark of the closet.
“You can have it.” Tsukishima waved a hand nonchalantly. Unfortunately he was on the side of the door opening, meaning Kageyama would have to either climb over the other boy to grab it or ask Tsukishima to pass it to him.
Hinata waved the packet impaitently.
Lucky for Kageyama, he wasn’t above making a jungle gym of Tsukishima for a few chips.
Unluckily for Kageyama, Tsukishima was far above becoming a jungle gym. The bastard grabbed the chips and slammed the door.
“You said I could have them.” Kageyama was both perplexed, and red with frustration.
“You can.”
He shouldn't be so surprised when a bastard acts like a bastard but god he was a bastard.
“...So give it.” Kageyama wanted to slap that smug grin off Tsukihima’s face.
“What’s the magic word?”
He was definitely going to throw the volleyball now. The ball was almost fully up before before it seemed Tsukishima registered the threat and threw the chips at Kageyama, hands thrown up in surrender.
Kageyama grabbed the chips, opened the packet, and started munching on them with the grace of a dying Rhino.
“Thanks.” He whispered, reluctantly. He also didn’t throw up, reluctantly.
Tsukishima perked up. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
“I said thank you.”
“Wow, thanks from the king.” Tsukishima mocked, “I’m honoured.”
“I told you to stop calling me that ages ago.” Kageyama raised his voice. He knew Tsukishima was just trying to get on his nerves, as always, but Tsukishima was just such a dick that it worked every time.
“Then stop acting like it.” They sounded like little kids in a 'no you are' loop.
“I DON’T!”
“Beg to differ.”
“Ugh!” Kageyama groaned, crossing his arms in completion of the little kid act. “You’re such a dick.”
“Hmm.”
-
Many things about Tsukishima bothered Kageyama, like the way his height and reach were made for a sky-high contact point, yet he couldn’t be bothered to jump more than ten centimeters off the ground, or the way he refused to give up the stupid king nickname, even the way the smug bastard smirked after saying one of his little quips, or-
“Will you please stop that,” Tsukishima grumbled.
Kageyama hadn’t realised but he’d been tapping his feet the whole time. It really didn’t seem like a big deal to him, but, like everything Kageyama did, it was a horrible annoyance to Tsukishima.
“God. You really can’t go a minute without moving, can you?”
If Tsukishima had been just a little more patient, Kageyama would’ve been able to come up with an appropriate comeback like: 'you can’t last ten minutes moving' or something smart , but before he even had the chance, there was a cold hand on his bare thigh. It was weird, right? He didn’t think Tukishima had ever even touched him before. Even when they had their first 3 on 3 in first year, Tsukishima had refused to shake is hand, and it wasn’t like either of the were touchy people like Hinata or Nishinoya were. It was definitely weird. Kageyama ought to have expected Tsukishima’s hands to be cold, he seemed like that type of guy. He didn’t expect them to be so soft, though. After block and spiking all day, shouldn’t they be at least a little callused, like Hinata’s? Did Tsukishima have some secret hand-care routine he never mentioned? Kageyama, as a self-proclaimed hand,-finger,-and-nail-care expert, would have to find out.
Sadly, the cold burn of Tsukishima’s hand left Kageyama’s leg too soon, breaking him out of his trance. Definitively weird.
“Earth to king,” Tsukishima waved the hand in front of Kageyama’s face, putting him in whole a different hand-related trance. He studied the palm of Tsukishima’s hand. Yep, no cracks, no calluses. That bitch had perfect hands.
Tsukishima pulled his gorgeous hand back to himself too soon. Kageyama almost wanted to admit he was disappointed but he became conscious of the feeling of skin on skin again.
Wishfully, Kageyama felt the cold and thought Tsukishima’s hands were pressed against his leg again. It was his leg, though, which for some reason didn’t have quite the same effect as his hand. Whatever, Kageyama didn’t mind too much. It wasn’t like there was much room in the closet anyway.
It seemed that Tsukishima did mind, though. He was staring. Really staring.
Kageyama slowly pulled his own leg away. He wasn’t all that good with social cues but he really didn’t feel like getting grumbled at again, especially knowing that any yelling would leave them in here longer.
“Better.”
-
The door creaked open again, just enough for a freckled arm to throw in a water bottle. Just one.
“Hey guys,” The smile in his voice shone through his voice oh so clearly. “I brought you guys some water. How’s your seven minutes in heaven going?”
“More like seven minutes in hell.” The two boys grumbled in synch. Also in synch was the look of surprise plastered on both of their faces after the fact.
“Looks like Ennoshita’s plan is working,” Yamaguchi smiled. “You’ll be out in no time.” Kageyama could feel him winking through the door.
Once again, Tsukishima shoved the door closed. Being the closest to the door, he also grabbed the water and chugged half of it, screwing the lid on when done.
Just as Kageyama was about to reach for it, Tsukishima pulled it out of Kageyama’s reach. He silently cursed Tsukishima’s lanky beanpole arms and not-so-silently cursed Tsukishima’s entire being.
Tsukishima looked smug again, that damn smirk plastered across his face. It made a little dimple when he did it, Kageyama never noticed that before. Tsukishima looked directly in Kageyama’s eyes as he unscrewed the bottle cap. He kept looking as he lifted the bottle to his lips and slowly sipped a little more water. Kageyama would’ve grabbed him and punched him in the ribs right then and there if he hadn’t been so hypnotised. He couldn't move his hands if he tried.
Tsukishima’s pursed lips, the return of the dimple, the way little drops of water sat on his bottom lip, the damn eye contact. It was all a bit much.
It was also over far to soon. Tsukishima capped the bottle again and chucked it to Kageyama, who promptly downed the rest of the bottle with absolutely no regard for germs, sickness, or any of the stupid things that could take volleyball away from him.
“You should see your face,” Tsukishima let out a satisfied little laugh. “I didn’t know you would be so broken up over a sip of water.”
Kagyama was absolutely dumbfounded. He seemed to have forgotten every word in the Japanese language. He also seemed to have forgotten that it was rude to stare because he couldn’t stop doing it. His eyes were fixed on the boy adjacent to him, unmoving.
“What?” Tsukishima asked sharply.
“Nothing.”
“Then stop looking at me like you’ve got something to say.”
Reluctantly, Kageyama pulled his eyes away from the boys face. He squeezed the empty plastic bottle in his hand. He liked the crunching sound it made, Yamaguchi did it all the time. That was probably the only reason Tsukishima wasn't telling him off about the repetitive noise, he was used to it.
When enough time had passed that Kageyama thought he wouldn’t be jeered at, he looked back at Tsukishima, who has back in his resting position. “What does that mean?” He asked, “seven minutes in heaven.”
Tsukishima laughed earnestly, “I figured you wouldn’t be invited to parties.”
“I get invited to partys!” Kageyama retorted, trying to defend himself knowing damn well he was not invited to parties and that he was also an awful liar.
“You’re not a very good liar, y’know.” It seemed Tsukishima knew this too. But that wasn't very surprising. It seemed Tsukishima knew everything.
“Whatever, like you’re invited anyways. No one wants a bitter prick at their party.” Kageyama crossed his arms like a little child. Maybe there was a reason he wasn’t invited to parties.
“For your information I do get invited to party,” Tsukishima responded. “I just don’t go.”
“And people keep inviting you?”
“Yup. It seems you’re not the only idiot in this school, congratulations.”
They sat there in awkward silence for a few moments before Tsukishima relented.
“It’s a party game where two people get locked in a room together for seven minutes and everyone expects them make out and stuff. It’s gross really.”
That was not what he expected to hear. Making out for seven minutes? That seemed insane. To be fair, Kageyama had never made out with anyone at all, he’d never even kissed anyone.
Wait a second.
Kageyama started to panic. Sharing the water with Tsukishima just then, was that not an indirect kiss? Was his first kiss with Tsukishima, literally the worst person he knew?
“Oh. Yeah. I knew that.” Kageyama tried to play it cool. Inside he was about to explode. For some reason his heart was beating a mile a minute and lips were tingling. Unconsciously, he licked them. They didn't taste different, does that mean it didn't count?
“Then why’d you ask?”
“Just wanted to see if you knew.” Play it cool, Kageyama, play it cool.
He desperately wanted to know if Tsukishima was thinking the same thing as him. If thought Kageyama was weird for sharing the bottle with him. If getting them to share the bottle was what Yamaguchi meant when mentioning the game. But then, if Tsukishima knew about the game, maybe he had played? Had he kissed anyone before? Yamaguchi maybe? They seemed close like that. God, were they dating? Had they been dating the whole time? Kageyama silently cursed himself for never giving a shit about relationships. Surely an indirect kiss like that didn’t mean anything to Tsukishima if he had made out with someone for seven whole minutes.
“Have you played before?” Shit. He probably shouldn’t have asked that.
Tsukishima looked at him like an idiot. So, the way he always looked at Kageyama. “No. Like I said: gross.”
“Oh.” Kageyama didn’t know what he wanted to hear, or why he even asked. He wasn’t dissatisfied with that answer, though. “Well have you ever kissed anyone?”
He definitely shouldn’t have asked that.
Tsukishima looked slightly affronted. He answered none the less: “no.”
Kageyama tried not to smile outwardly. He didn’t know why that made him want to. It definitely did, though.
“Have you?” Tsukishima asked, though reluctantly.
Kageyama wanted to mention the water bottle. He really wanted to, like really really wanted to, but by some grace of god, he managed to control himself. “No. But I had a girlfriend.”
Tsukishima looked genuinely shocked. Honestly it was kind of rude.
“In elementary school. She asked me to be her boyfriend because she liked my hair.” Kageyama couldn’t even remember what she looked like. She definitely wouldn’t have liked him in middle school, though, probably not now either. “Shit,” he said. “I forgot to break up with her.”
That made Tsukishima laugh again. He liked making Tsukishima laugh. “So you still have a girlfriend?! You. Tobio Kageyama. Have a girlfriend?”
“I guess…” He replied. He wondered if she’d be mad that he just indirectly kissed another person. He wondered what her name was, too. He remembered it starting with an s… or maybe a r?
Tsukishima made a face at him. Amused and slightly astonished.
“Shut up.” Kageyama grumbled.
“I didn’t say a thing.”
Suddenly, the door burst wide open.
Ennoshita stood above them in his school uniform, panting.
“Sorry. Practice ended half an hour ago.” I said between breaths, he must have ran there. “I forgot about you two.”
The pair stood up together, slightly dumbfounded. They’d just been forgotten? Kageyama knew the new rookie setter was pretty good, but he wasn’t that good. He’d have work extra hard now, especially after missing a whole practice trapped in a box. He’d start right after he figured out this indirect kiss thing with Tsukishima. And after he asked about Tsukishima’s hand care routine. And after finding out if Tsukishima-
He was gone.
Ennoshita was still there though. “You know the door was unlocked the whole time, right? You didn’t hear the gym go silent?”
“No… I didn’t even notice.” Kageyama replied, feeling slightly stupid. Tsukishima had to have noticed though.
“Class starts in ten,” Ennoshita began walking out the gym. “Might wanna get changed,” he smiled. “Sorry for locking you guys up. I just need you guys to stop bickering. You can accomplish really great things when you two are on the same page. You just need to stay on the same page… I guess.”
“It’s okay. It was okay… Thanks.”
Kageyama and Tsukishima were most definitely not on the same page. Not right now, at least.