Chapter Text
Yamaguchi had liked Tsukishima since they'd been in elementary school. At what point had gratitude at being saved from bullies gone from friendship to crush, Yamaguchi couldn't exactly say. What he could say was that he had been held back his feelings for so long that by the time they were in high school, Yamaguchi knew he had to say something lest these feelings boil over. And nothing could describe the sheer joy when Tsukishima had agreed to be his boyfriend. Well, okay, Tsukishima hadn't said it in so many words, but his blasé “Yeah okay sure whatever” had been a hell of a lot better than outright rejection, and Yamaguchi was used to taking his victories where he could.
Most importantly, he finally had the guy of his dreams.
Yamaguchi should have been on cloud nine.
So why was he feeling like utter crap instead?
- Tsukki, do you really have to go today of all days?
They were walking home from volleyball practice, the sun dyeing the sky behind them orange. It looked like Tsukishima hadn't expected him to speak, as he frowned annoyed as he took off his headphones and looked at Yamaguchi.
- What's that?
- It's just... Yamaguchi hesitated. He didn't like confrontation, but this was too important. - Well, it's my birthday. Can't you meet up with your friends on some other day?
Immediately, Yamaguchi regretted speaking up. The jaded sigh from Tsukishima was only the calm before the storm, he knew that, but Yamaguchi felt like he had to hold his ground. They were a couple after all. They should be able to talk about things like these.
- You know, I really don't know why I need to make my schedule around what you want, Tsukishima said. - This was the day that worked out the best for us all.
- But---
- We can celebrate your birthday some other day. It's a completely arbitrary decision to celebrate it on the actual day rather than whenever, Tsukishima gave him a stern look. - You should feel lucky we even celebrate it at all. You know that Jehovah's witnesses don't even celebrate birthdays, right?
- What... What's that got to do with anything?
- I'm just saying, maybe you should be a little more grateful for the things that I do for you!
And from there it devolved into another argument, well, really Tsukishima snapping while Yamaguchi in vain tried to calm him down. About how selfish it was of Yamaguchi to police what Tsukishima did with his time, it wasn't up to Yamaguchi when Tsukishima met his other friends, how relationships took compromise to work and Yamaguchi couldn't get huffy every time he didn't get his way. By the end of it, it was once again Yamaguchi apologising for being unreasonable, promising to be more considerate of Tsukishima's feelings in the future.
But by the time Yamaguchi was back home, lying in his bed, he was having second thoughts. He didn't want to question Tsukishima, but wasn't it normal to want your partner there during your birthday? Not to mention, Tsukishima knew when Yamaguchi's birthday was. Could he really not have planned around that?
...Or maybe Yamaguchi really was making a big deal over nothing. Tsukishima had said they'd celebrate later. It's not like Tsukishima was ignoring Yamaguchi's birthday, after all.
Then again...
Just as Yamaguchi thought he was about to go crazy overthinking this, he heard his phone buzzing. An incoming message. Quickly, Yamaguchi opened his phone, holding faint hope in his heart that it may have been from Tsukishima. He felt bitter disappointment when he saw it was from an unknown number instead, but nonetheless tapped the message open.
Hi Yamaguchi!! I got your number from Hinata. It's Lev from Nekoma! Remember me from training camp? Just wanted to see how you were doing :)
Wracking his brain, Yamaguchi soon recalled the image of a tall first-year boy with vaguely mixed Caucasian and Japanese features, fortunate enough to have inherited the best of both worlds. Lev had turned heads wherever he'd gone, and Yamaguchi knew it hadn't been just because of his height; even the straightest of guys could admit he was a handsome devil, and Yamaguchi was by no means straight. Still, Yamaguchi's head had been too full of Tsukishima to pay attention to anything else – in fact, Tsukishima himself had been the one to interact with Lev more during the training camp, since they'd at least had a few training sessions together. So for Lev to suddenly approach Yamaguchi of all people, it certainly took Yamaguchi by surprise.
But it was a distraction, and a distraction was just what Yamaguchi needed now.
Hi!! Of course I remember you! Just surprised you'd text me, but it's a positive surprise! How are you?
Better now that I know I left an impression ;) JKJK
Nah but for real, we didn't get to talk during the training camp but I thought better late than never!
Unless you think I'm being too forward?
Because I can be chill too. Totally chill. Chillest guy you'll ever know I swear.
Followed by two emojis, one snowflake and one with dark sunglasses. Yamaguchi snorted. Yeah, because five messages in a row was the definition of chill. Then again, that had probably been the joke. And it's not like Yamaguchi minded someone being interested in him. Heavens knew there weren't many of them.
It's cool! (No pun intended.) I just don't know what to talk about so sorry for being so awkward lol
Not everyone can be as cool as a (half) Russian
LMAO you're fine!! I'm a master ice-breaker anyway
So how was your day?
The words hit Yamaguchi like a hammer, pounding away at the walls he'd built around the hurt from his disagreement with Tsukishima. He knew he shouldn't, but the words were sent before he could stop himself.
Honestly it kinda sucked
Yamaguchi regretted sending it immediately. This wasn't Lev's problem, certainly not something to be the topic of their first interaction. But before he could take it back, Lev had already responded.
Oh no :( Do you want to talk about it?
There was a clump in Yamaguchi's throat, and he tried to will it away. Lev was just being nice. There was no way someone actually wanted to be trauma dumped on by a person they didn't even know. Not that Yamaguchi had trauma. Just stupid petty bullshit that wouldn't have had to happen if he just hadn't been so sensitive and annoyed Tsukishima.
Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Thanks for offering though.
So what have you been up to?
There was a pause, and Yamaguchi's chest was bursting with how stupid he felt. A hot guy from Nekoma had somehow taken notice of him enough to reach out to Hinata to get his number, and what did Yamaguchi do with this? Overshare and scare Lev off with an attempt at changing the subject so awkward it was even making Yamaguchi himself cringe. Brilliant. 16-years-old, and just as dumb as when he'd just been an easy target for bullies.
And then, Lev replied. Yamaguchi's breath got caught in his throat.
I'm not forcing you to say anything if you don't want to. But just so you know, the offer stands. I'm used to being the shoulder people lean on, so it's no biggie.
Yamaguchi stared in disbelief. He wanted to take Lev's word for it, but how could he really offer that for a total stranger? Yamaguchi wasn't sure he'd have the same consideration. And yet here Lev was, chipping away at the walls as the pressure mounted against the cracks.
More messages. The cracks continued to widen.
and btw the shoulder to lean on thing isn't just because I'm tall
which I am, so most people literally lean on me too, but that besides the point
ok sorry I'll stop bad timing
you go on ahead
if you want, no pressure
<3
Without thinking, Yamaguchi chuckled, and with that, the tears were in his eyes. That clumsy, erratic writing laced with earnest desire to help was too much, and before Yamaguchi knew it, he'd spilled his heart out, going on for long paragraph about the fight he'd had fight Tsukishima. He just needed to get it out, have someone see. Not let this be just another things buried six feet under.
There was an empty feeling in Yamaguchi's chest when he got done typing. He'd been dominating the conversation for a half an hour straight. If it even was a conversation anymore, and Lev hadn't decided he was no longer worth his time. With bated breath, Yamaguchi stared at his phone screen, waiting, praying for those three dots to show that Lev was typing back. After seven excruciating minutes, Yamaguchi's heart jumped when he saw Lev typing again. Anxiety pooled in Yamaguchi's stomach as he waited for the response, peaking into a painful knot in the split second between Lev sending his message and Yamaguchi comprehending the words.
OK so first of all, I'm so sorry this happened and you have every right to be upset!! I would be too if I had a partner ditching me on my birthday!!
Secondly: dude he really be starting beef on YOUR BIRTHDAY and then blamed it on YOU and making YOU apologise???????
Cue an entire row of red flag emojis. Yamaguchi's face flushed, and he immediately jumped to defend his boyfriend's honour.
Tsukki's not a bad guy, he's just not good with showing emotion and well, sometimes he comes off worse than he intends
Aside from this he's been a good partner and friend!
It's just this time things got a bit heated
There was an unusually long pause before Lev wrote again, or at least it felt unusually long with the limited sample size Yamaguchi had so far. But it didn't have to mean anything. For all he knew, Lev had gone to get a snack or had to work on a tricky homework question for a bit.
Okay sorry, yeah you know him best probably
Still, you understand how this looks like from the outside right? Like, okay maybe you don't have to celebrate on the day itself if you agreed that it's fine beforehand, but starting a big fight over it??
ughh sorry I'm just so mad for you!!
That's okay, I'm really grateful you heard me out! I think I just really needed to let it out. I'm sure things will get better with Tsukki once he calms down. That's how it usually goes.
He better be making this up for you though! You deserve to be treated way better than this!
If he doesn't, I might have to become Mr. Steal Your Girl and show how it's done lol
The message was followed up by a link to a song. “Mr. Steal Your Girl” by Trey Songz. Yamaguchi was just about to open the link when Lev messaged again.
OK but for real, you know you have the right to ask for basic respect, right? You seem like a cool guy Yamaguchi and I don't want you to forget that you don't have to take just anything.
Yamaguchi stared at the words for a good long while, but somehow, they just didn't register in his brain. He had no idea what to say to that – it was easier to just click on the song and pretend he hadn't seen anything.
Digging out his earbuds, Yamaguchi plugged them in as he crawled under the bed covers, and just listened. It was a song in English, but slow-paced enough where he could still understand most of it without needing to look up the lyrics online.
Baby
I'ma be straight up
Won't waste no time
I know you ain't my, you ain't my baby
Do you think about us?
Do I cross your mind, anytime?
Slowly, Yamaguchi got clued in on what this song was supposed to be about, and his cheeks warmed up flustered. He knew Lev wasn't being serious, that much had been obvious from the tone of his messages, but even then, the thought of someone as handsome as Lev sending this song to someone as plain as him, gave Yamaguchi butterflies.
I know that you
You're taken
It'll never change
Cause it's always been that way
But you know that you
Can't fake it
He can't give you what I got here, right now
Even if he wasn't supposed to be taking this too seriously, this verse hit so close to home. The words “you're taken, it'll never change, cause it's always been that way” kept repeating in his head. Because yeah, it was kind of true, wasn't it? Ever since Tsukishima and he had become friends, Yamaguchi could never have imagined himself by anyone else's side. Even if Tsukishima hadn't returned his feelings, Yamaguchi couldn't have imagined going for someone else, not when his heart still burned for the boy who had accepted him when no one else would. For him to be with Tsukishima now... despite all their problems... in a way... wasn't this how things were always meant to end up? What even would have been the alternative?
Thinking about Tsukishima right now was a bit too much, so Yamaguchi did his best to focus on the song again.
Next time that he leave you all alone
I'll give you all the love he not
I'm about to take his spot
Let your man know that
Mr. Steal Your Girl is back
So let your man know that
Mr. Steal Your Girl is back, back
Baby, let me tell you what's up
At first, Yamaguchi just stared at the ceiling, wondering if he'd misheard. But when the chorus came on again and he realised that no, Lev really had sent him something this brazen, Yamaguchi couldn't help but laugh. It was so over the top he couldn't even be mad; what was the point at getting offended at such an obvious joke? It was appropriate though; Yamaguchi had no doubt that “Mr. Steal Your Girl” was the perfect moniker for Lev. He'd already known Lev was handsome, but with a killer sense of humour on top of that? Now that was simply lethal.
By the time Yamaguchi had finished listening to the song, he was grinning ear to ear from laughing so much, and he was quick to reply to Lev:
Okay, gotta admit, that song had me laughing out loud for real. Thanks, I really needed that!
Yamaguchi's stomach knotted just a touch when he saw Lev almost immediately typing back.
Hey no prob! Just glad I was able to be there for you <3
Oh, and before I forget
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Followed by an egregious amount of emojis, party poppers, balloons, and cakes, and it was such a sensory overload it had Yamaguchi close to another laughing fit. He had never seen someone be that excited about his birthday, and just like that, the hurt from Tsukishima's snapping began to fade to just a dull ache somewhere in the back of Yamaguchi's mind. A smile persisted on his lips as he typed again.
Awh, thanks! For the well wishes, and just for being here! :)
Crazy good timing, right? It's like fate or something!!
Oh, and ofc, if you need some company, I'm a text away :) I was totally right when getting a good vibe from you!
So glad I got your number!!!
Huh. Three exclamation marks. Yamaguchi's smile was a little sadder. That alone was more joy than Tsukishima had expressed when Yamaguchi had asked him out. Or ever, really.
Yeah, me too.
Actually, don't mind if I cash in on that offer right away! You still haven't told me how YOUR day has been!
Yessssss
And here I was afraid I'd have to spend the night alone ;P
Okay okay so
My day started really well, when Hinata gave me the number to this adorable guy in his volleyball team...
It took Yamaguchi a solid minute to understand that the “adorable guy” was referring to him, and he chuckled embarrassed as he sunk further under the bed covers. He and Lev continued texting way past when Yamaguchi should have been asleep, but Yamaguchi didn't care. Talking to Lev was the only good thing that had come out of this birthday, and Yamaguchi intended to enjoy it for as long as he could.