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Tsukishima had never been one for subtle side-glances, so he did not comprehend what Hinata was trying to tell him, until Yachi nudged his side.
"Umm." the girl, stuttered, in an obviously failing attempt not to be intimidated by the look he gave her, "You should maybe...go after him?"
"After Yamaguchi?" he asked, brows furrowing at the odd request.
It was true that his friend had only left seconds ago, after asking to be excused and hurrying down the stairwell, but that didn't mean he needed to be accompanied.
"He'll be fine. He needs time alone, not a babysitter."
Yachi gestured somewhat helplessly, opening her mouth to inject something more, but the words died on her lips.
"You act smart, but you're actually not that bright of a light, aren't you?" Kageyama said at that very second, as grumpy as ever, despite them having just won a match.
Tsukishima sighed, as though their very presence was tugging heavily at his sensitive nerves (and it was, no doubt about that). "What is it now?" he asked, with as much annoyance as possible.
"Even dumbass over here has figured it out." Kageyama nodded to Hinata.
The latter squawked indignantly, but his black-haired setter ignored him as usual.
"He's probably about to start crying or something. Just be a decent human being for once" – Kageyama said, and for a moment Tsukishima was very tempted to remind him just who had been dubbed King of the Court, but held it back - "And go after him."
Yachi smiled even though it was laced with nervousness. "That would probably be a good idea." she said, wringing her hands, "And you know, I bet it would make him-" she swept a strand of hair behind her ear, "Happy."
A hopeful smile curved her lips.
He scoffed, and it promptly fell.
"If you stop pestering me about it, then I might as well." he sighed heavily, not an act this time.
"Tell Sugawara-senpai we will be there shortly."
With this spoken, he turned around and began marching down the stairs.
"Did- did I just convince him?" he heard a hushed whisper behind him.
"Yeah, you totally did!" Hinata could be heard cheering, "You were all like subtle, but bwah! And you made him go!"
"Wow." the manager-in-training replied in clear awe, "I'm getting good at this! Right?"
"She is! Right, Kageyama?"
"Whatever." a disinterested voice muttered back and then -
"OW! Hinata!"
"You-"
Suddenly Tsukishima was infinitely glad he'd had an excuse to leave.
Yamaguchi was in the bathroom.
There was no sign on the wooden door he pushed open that declared this happenstance, neither was there one inside on the questionably clean wall tiles.
No, it was the soft noise of crying that brought it to Tsukishima's attention.
He quickly pushed the first thought on his mind – annoyance over the fact that Kageyama had been right – aside, and, instead, turned on the water tap.
As expected, the crying seized in an instant. Only a few laboured, teary breaths were heard in its stead.
"Yamaguchi, it's me." Tsukishima said, not wanting to keep him on edge any longer than necessary.
He heard a small gasp, followed by a "Tsukki." that sounded awfully apologetic.
Tsukishima straightened his posture, then walked right up to the door and knocked softly.
"Can you let me in?"
Yachi, wringing her hands, shot through his mind.
"Please?" he added, out of pure necessity.
There was silence for a heartbeat, and he caught himself wondering whether Yamaguchi was going to come out at all – after all, he really hadn't expected him to find him like this – and how he was going to explain that to their vice-captain then, but right as he was contemplating his best tactics, the lock clicked. The door was pushed open and Yamaguchi peeked his head out.
"Tsukki?" he asked tentatively, and Tsukishima had the brief sensation of the air being squeezed out of his torso because he did look terrible.
Yamaguchi's cheeks were stained with tears, his eyes red-rimmed. The look he was giving him reminded Tsukishima of someone who was expecting harsh judgment, even condemnation.
But that of all things was something he certainly wasn't willing to give.
"Come here." he said quietly, quickly, before he could change his mind, and opened his arms slightly.
Yamaguchi's eyes widened as he realized the significance of the gesture.
"Now." Tsukishima added in a far more demanding tone, and Yamaguchi nodded, stumbling towards him and hesitating just a few centimeters apart from him before the middle blocker sighed and pulled him into his arms.
It did not take long for it to happen. Tsukishima had prayed for it not to, had hoped his body warmth and touch might offer enough solace to Yamaguchi to completely calm him, but he was proven wrong.
Yamaguchi began crying.
In the grand scheme of things, Tsukishima had rarely comforted or even seeked comfort himself. So when he ended up with 179 cm of his distraught friend in his arms, he was, for a lack of a better word, at loss.
"There, there." he muttered,clearing his throat and gently patting his back.
Yamaguchi sobbed even harder at this, and clutched the back of his shirt in his hands, tearing at it until the stretch of the fabric tightened uncomfortably over Tsukishma's shoulders.
Never in their years in middle school until joining Karasuno High had the latter ever witnessed him so distraught.
"What's wrong?" he asked quietly. He had a notion, of course, but that did not mean it had to be true. And even if, it wouldn't have nearly been enough to be this upset about.
"I messed up." Yamaguchi wailed, "I messed up again. Tsukki..."
His name was drowned in another series of sobs.
"You didn't mess up." Tsukishima replied, and it wasn't a lie, he didn't believe in lying to comfort, "You didn't go all out and could have managed a better serve, but we scored regardless. What matters is the result."
"No, it's not." the smaller player whispered, burying his head in his shoulder, "What matters is the performance I give. And I-"
"I said, Yamaguchi." - Tsukishima's tone was sharp, in a way that allowed no rebuttal, "That you did not go all out. Which is true, isn't it?"
"Yes, Tsukki." Yamaguchi replied quietly, "I did not." His tone wavered again and Tsukishima realized his mistake.
Turning his head to the right and left, he ascertained that they were alone in the bathroom, and then he softly placed a kiss on the pinch server's head.
Yamaguchi gasped, then positively melted against him.
Tsukishima could barely suppress the smirk, still thrilled by the effect such a simple gesture had on his partner.
"You'll go all out next time." he mumbled, resolute not to let any smugness bleed into his tone, which might have made his gesture seem less sincere than it was, and took a hold of Yamaguchi's arm.
The confused glance the setter gave him was replaced by one of fondness as he realized the cause of the gesture: his blonde partner had only pried his hand off his back so that he could hold it lightly, rubbing his wrist soothingly with his thumb.
"You'll go out next time, yes?" Tsukishima repeated, meeting Yamaguchi's reddened eyes.
"Yes." Yamaguchi said, his lip quivering, and gave a small, shaky nod.
"Ah, ah." Tsukishima clicked his tongue, immediately earning the worried gaze of his teammate, "Try that again. That didn't sound convincing."
Yamaguchi swallowed (possibly also a snide remark, because he knew very well that throwing jabs back and forth with Tsukki of all people was a losing battle before it had begun).
However, he knew him well enough to see behind the superior facade, adorned with the admonishing tone. Perhaps it was also the fact that the middle blocker was still holding in his hand in a far too gentle grip that gave his concern away.
"Yes, I will." he said, in a firmer tone, jaw set in determination..
Tsukishima smirked in satisfaction, and gave a short nod, squeezed his hand.
"Better."
Sugawara-senpai, as it turned out had worried, because, apparently some idiotic first year duo had made up an enchantingly terrific composition of theories related to their disappearance.
And in the meantime, the damned match between Aoba Johsai and Dateko had not even ended.
"You were away for so long, we thought that maybe Yamaguchi had been kidnapped!" Hinata exclaimed, "Because, after all, terrible things keep happening in those bathrooms-"
Kageyama glared at him: "I did not think that-"
"Yes, you totally did, Bakageyama! You even agreed that the black van outside looked suspicious-"
"Before I noticed it was the damned team bus from another school, you absolute dumbass!"
"Who are you calling a dumbass?! Huh?"
"Alright." Sugawara said, loudly, and Tsukishima saw the smile he had put on looked a little forced, "You two have a drink and calm down for now, alright?"
He had not been wrong in his theory that there was something off about Sugawara-senpai, because Kageyama took one look at him, and then dragged Hinata to the benches with him, a little faster than it would have been necessary.
"And now to you two." Sugawara continued, giving them a glance over and then gracing them with a look of disappointment, "Is it not enough that I had to worry about Daichi today? If you need some time to yourselves, then you are free to take it, but you have to notify me where you are. We have tournaments to play, and I can't keep an eye on everyone at all times. You do understand that, don't you?"
Tsukishima had to remind himself of the fact that there was only a two year difference between them, because he felt terribly scolded.
"Yes, we do." he replied, Yamaguchi mumbling an affirmative, and then they both apologized in unison, giving a small bow.
"Are you alright, Yamaguchi?" Sugawara then asked, his resigned tone disappearing in favour of one of concern. Apparently his younger teammate's still lightly distressed state had not escaped his sharp eyes.
"I'm..." Yamaguchi said, hesitatingly, and then glanced to Tsukishima, "I'm much better now, thank you."
"Hm." the vice-captain replied, and nodded, the tension leaving him bit by bit as his smile became relaxed again and he seemed to return to the old Sugawara-senpai Tsukishima much preferred, "Then I'm glad. If you need anything, then please come to me, yes?"
"Yes." Yamaguchi answered, beaming, and Tsukishima barely held himself back from rolling his eyes. Was it really that easy to make him happy?
"Also." Sugawara added, in a more quiet tone, "Don't think for another second about that serve. You're a valuable member of our team, and we're all cheering you on. You've greatly improved and you will continue to do so, all you need to do is practice and believe a little in yourself. You'll do great." He patted Yamaguchi's shoulder.
"Than-thank you, Sugawara-senpai." The latter replied, visibly tearing up again.
"Thank you." Tsukishima repeated, waiting until their vice-captain was finally out of sight.
"Really?", he groaned, fishing in his pockets for the already very meager packet of tissues, and upon finding it tossing it to Yamaguchi, "What am I going to do with you?"
"Sorry, Tsukki." Yamaguchi mumbled, as he dabbed his eyes.
"Be quiet."
Yamaguchi did not reply. Instead, all of a sudden, Tsukishima found himself yet again with 63 kg of pinch server resting against him.
"What are you doing, Yamaguchi?" he said in a low tone, glancing around even as he awkwardly placed an arm around him and drew him a bit closer on reflex.
How that reflex came to be, he did not want to think about.
"Making sure that I stay quiet. I can't talk loudly like this after all." Yamaguchi replied, voice audibly muffled by the fabric of Tsukishima's shirt he'd pressed his face against.
Tsukishima was stunned for a moment, very much in between a chuckle and a poisonous remark.
But he did neither.
Instead, he pretended that he did not notice the stares of the rest of the team.
And he toned down Yachi Hinata's excited whispers in the background, simply holding Yamaguchi close against him, a little mesmerized by the warmth of his body and his soft breaths.
"But just for today." he muttered, "So that we're clear?" He ignored the little voice in the back of his head that wished he could stay with him like this for much longer.
"Of course, Tsukki."
"Good." he muttered, and then, no matter how pathetic it might have been, for a second there, he almost smiled.