Chapter Text
“Tadashi.”
He blinks, surprised. Night has just fallen and in the chilly evening the sudden utterance of his name somehow feels as if it has physically shattered the silence. They are alone in the street and he has to resist the urge to stop. Something about this moment feels momentous and he’s afraid that it shouldn’t be experienced on the go.
“Tadashi,” he’s prompted.
“Oh! Yeah, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi replies, looking up at his friend sidelong. A passing streetlight lights up his blond hair. Tsukishima, despite having initiated the conversation, seems unsure how to continue.
“I’m in love with you. I think I have been for a long time.”
Yamaguchi stops in his tracks. Tsukishima takes a few more steps then turns to face him. He seems nervous and Yamaguchi is sure that his wide eyed, open mouthed stare is not helping. Yamaguchi rubs the back of his neck, then laughs, a little nervously.
“You are not at all a romantic, are you, Tsukki?”
“I suppose not,” he admits, and Yamaguchi is pleased to see his face turns a little pink. Yamaguchi steps up beside Tsukishima and they continue on down the street in chilly silence for quite some time before Yamaguchi asks, “Why now?”
“In the match against Shiritorizawa, when I got hurt. I remember thinking, I wanted so badly to get back in. I was worried we’d fail, I was in pain. And I despite all that, the look on your face when you saw the blood,” he trails off and shakes his head. “It took me a while to get you out of my head. I was worried because you were and I realised how much your worry meant to me. It’s taken me a while to figure out what I was feeling. Is that weird?”
“Maybe a little,” Yamaguchi admits. Tsukishima shrugs and stuffs his hands in his pockets, letting his eyes wander up to the skyline. Yamaguchi drifts a little closer and stares up at the stars. The night is still silent but something about it is comforting, like the comforting scent of baking.
“Kei,” he finally whispers, for some reason afraid to shatter the silence again. Tsukishima looks down, catches his gaze and in that moment, the night is warm around them. “I think I love you too.” Tsukishima nods. They part ways as if nothing had changed. Yamaguchi wonders if anything has.