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~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was early Sunday morning, and it was raining. The sun's rays were weak, barely piercing through their closed curtains, casting a dull glow over their shared bedroom. The soft beat of the rain over their roof lulled them to sleep, while the chill air beckoned them to stay under the warmth of their comforter and never leave.
It was mornings like these where Tsukishima Kei couldn't help but lay awake in bed, countless thoughts drifting through his mind like the autumn leaves outside. Usually he'd think of all the years he spent with the Karasuno Volleyball Team, secretly letting himself admit that he missed them. Sometimes he'd think of his parents, wondering how they were doing back in Miyagi and if they were holding up fine without their two boys. Other times it was all trivial things, like whether or not he remembered to restock his favorite bath salts.
This particular morning however, his thoughts weren't any of those things. His thoughts were filled with only one person today. The same person currently draped across his chest, snoring softly as Kei counted the freckles across his face. Kei couldn't help but smile as he ran his hands through Yamaguchi Tadashi's hair, remembering all the little things that got them to where they were.
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was Monday when they first met.
Kei was eight-years-old then, walking home from another boring day at school. Maybe if he had a few friends it wouldn't be boring, but he kept to himself most of the time, and his height scared away anyone who tried to get close. He didn't care though. He was okay with being alone. He was used to it.
Passing by the playground, he heard voices.
"You've got a lumpy face, Tadashi!"
"Why are you so puny?"
Kei could hear a loud thud, followed by the sound of whimpering.
"You've got to bulk up, so you get to carry all our bags."
The blond was now near enough to see the commotion. There were three boys, probably around his age, gathered around a fallen fourth boy. Kei didn't wince when one of the boys threw his backpack at the fallen boy's face, but he did feel a strange emotion come over him. That emotion became greater when the fallen boy began to tear up, and Kei couldn't understand why he wanted to punch the boy who pointed it out.
"Seriously? You're crying?"
"He cries about everything!"
"You crybaby!"
Kei, not knowing what to do with the emotions going through him, decided to pass on. He kept his eyes on the fallen boy, secretly worried about just leaving him there. Just when he was about to look away, the boy looked up and their eyes locked.
Kei froze.
The boy had several freckles dotting his face, like a new cluster of stars that hadn't been explored, and it confused Kei when he realized he wanted to be the first one to do so.
"What're you looking at?"
The spell over them was broken when one of the other boys addressed him. Kei figured this boy with the thick brows was the leader, seeing as he easily brushed off his friend's warning about Kei being a sixth grader, stating that Kei was "just from class 3".
Now, this comment wouldn't have normally annoyed Kei, but the boy talked as if Kei owed him an explanation for being there. Kei hated it when people talked to him that way, and though he didn't really understand it, Kei hated him even more for bullying the boy who had stars in his face and was looking at him like he was a full moon on a dark night.
So, Kei faced them like he would any other person who got on his bad side. He tilted his head, and sneered.
"Pathetic."
Kei had almost laughed at their blank faces, but he really wasn't up for it. He walked away instead, not wanting to get caught up in such childish things.
"What'd you mean?!"
Kei ignored the leader's annoyed scream, not even caring that he could hear the boy's footsteps running to him. It wasn't until the boy touched his backpack did Kei turn around, looking down at the boy from his towering height.
"What?" His voice dripped condescension as he leaned down to glare at the boy, satisfied that the action made the boy clam up.
"Y-You're lame, four-eyes!" The boy had spat back. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" He chanted as he began to run away, the others grabbing their bags and going after him.
Kei didn't stop himself from laughing this time. He couldn't believe they just ran away like that. Kei didn't even threaten them or anything. It was hilarious.
The freckled boy had stopped crying, but there were still tears on the corners of his eyes and snot fell from his nose. For a split second Kei wondered if he should help him up or offer him a tissue. But they weren't friends, and he wasn't the type to help strangers, so he just turned and walked away without looking back.
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was Tuesday when they first spoke.
By that time Kei had already completely forgotten the incident at the park, vague memories of a freckled boy replaced by the amazing stories he heard from his older brother about the Karasuno Volleyball Team. Akiteru had said they were on the same level as the powerhouse school Shiratorizawa, and Kei had been amazed at the fact that his brother was on the team.
But Akiteru wasn't only part of the team, though.
He was the ace.
And Kei was more than proud of him.
He came to school that day wearing Akiteru's hand-me-down volleyball shoes, determined to try out for their youth volleyball team. There was a short boy leaning against the gym doors, observing the ongoing practice with hunched shoulders. Kei thought he looked familiar, but he didn't let himself dwell on it, choosing instead to walk past him and into the gym.
"Ah, um..." The boy spoke, catching Kei's attention. He turned around to face him, flinching in surprise when the shorter boy bowed at him. "Thank you for the other day."
Kei stood there, blinking. "Have we met?"
The shorter boy's mouth opened in shock. "T-The o-other day..." He stuttered out, arms flailing awkwardly. "A-At the playground..."
With the boy now looking up at him, Kei could finally see the smattering of freckles across his face, and realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Oh." The bullied boy he met at the playground. The boy with constellations on his face and tears in his eyes. The boy who made Kei feel things he didn't quite understand yet.
He was here.
But...
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh, uhm..." Kei watched as the shorter boy shifted his gaze away from him. "I wanted to play some kind of sport..." The boy began, holding his hands together and fidgeting. "There are a lot of scary guys in baseball and soccer, but this seemed safe..."
He trailed off at the end of his sentence, but Kei didn't interrupt. The poor boy looked so shy and insecure, no wonder he was an easy target for bullies. Kei didn't want to scare him away, not when he seemed like he was getting ready to bolt out the door and never come back. Besides, Kei had asked him the question, it was only fair for him to listen to the answer.
It's not like Kei was making an effort to be friends with this guy or anything.
Right?
"Ah!" The boy suddenly shouted, making Kei flinch again. "Those shoes are awesome!"
Kei looked down at his shoes, not really sure what made the boy saw in them that made him say that. "They're hand-me downs from my older brother. I'll just be using them 'till I get mine next week."
"Your brother plays volleyball too?!" The boy continued, a bit livelier than he was a few seconds ago.
"He plays for this really strong high school called Karasuno." Kei replied, surprised at how quickly the boy's mood had changed. He was giving Kei this look again, the same one he had at the park, like everything Kei did or said was special to him. This look, combined with the pride Kei felt whenever he talked about Akiteru, made the blond extremely embarrassed. He had to look away, scratching the back of his head as he continued. "He's like the ace."
"H-He's the ace of a powerhouse school?!" The boy practically screamed, the sparkles in his hazel eyes making them seem brighter and the blush on his face highlighting his freckles. "T-T-That's so awesome!"
Kei felt his face heat up. Apparently, the blushing was contagious.
"N-Nah... I-It's not that big of a deal..." Kei, who was losing his cool too fast for his own comfort, stuttered out. "He's been one ever since j-junior high..."
"Wow!" The boy was still screaming, and Kei had to control himself from smiling too wide. "How long has he been playing? Did he play on this team? Aces are totally cool!"
"Y-Yeah..." Kei turned to face him again, a small smile escaping him. "I guess Aki-nii's pretty cool."
The boy paused for a while, blinking.
Then, slowly, he smiled.
Kei told himself he would never forget that moment.
The boy's eyes were fully closed, with small creases on the corners that Kei thought were incredibly cute. His mouth was open wide, forming cute dimples on the side of his face, his teeth standing stark white against his lightly tanned skin. There was a blush on his face, strong enough to drown out his freckles and turn him a pleasing shade of red.
He looked like a glowing star.
Kei had to blink to be able to see again.
"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself!" He gasped, his smile falling. "That's really rude of me! I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi!"
"I'm Tsukishima." Kei mumbled, still slightly out of it. "Tsukishima Kei."
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was Wednesday when he got his nickname.
The first time Kei had invited Yamaguchi over, he had been so surprised the freckled boy agreed. He then began to worry endlessly, constantly reminding his Mom about their snacks and making Akiteru swear he wouldn't interrupt them. When the doorbell rang Kei had practically jumped out of his seat, running to grab the door before Akiteru could even reach it. Yamaguchi had brought strawberry shortcake over that time, and Kei decided then and there that he'd invite Yamaguchi over as often as possible.
It had been three months since then, and studying together after school had become a routine for them.
Kei sat on his bedroom floor, leaning back on the side of his bed as he leafed through his science textbook. Yamaguchi positioned himself across him, sprawled on his stomach as he glared at his unfinished English homework. A plate of his Mom's cookies rested between them, right next to the two bottles of iced tea Tadashi brought with him. Five minutes passed by without either of them saying a word, and though Kei was satisfied with the silence, he knew Yamaguchi could never keep it going.
"Tsukishima-kun, what's the English word for 'hana'?"
Kei sighed.
"Flower."
"What about 'hotaru'?"
"Firefly."
"And 'haru'?"
"Spring."
"Okay, last question, what about---"
"I'm not doing your homework for you, Yamaguchi."
"Sorry, Tsukki!"
A long silence enveloped them, until...
"Yamaguchi."
Kei narrowed his eyes at the boy in front of him. Yamaguchi was still furiously scribbling at his homework, completely oblivious to his friend's look. "Yamaguchi." He repeated, waiting patiently for soft brown eyes to leave paper and meet his own honey gold ones. "What did you just call me?"
The freckled boy merely blinked up at him. "Huh?"
Kei resisted the urge to roll his eyes, choosing instead to let out another sigh. "A while ago, you said something."
"Hmm..." Yamaguchi bit his lower lip, brows scrunched together in concentration. "I didn't say anything."
"You did." Kei bristled, using his index finger to push his glasses higher up his nose. "You called me T-Tsukki."
He broke eye contact then, realizing he had stumbled on the last word. Fortunately Yamaguchi was too distracted with the revelation, his eyes growing wide as a blush crept up his face. "I did?!" He exclaimed, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "I'm so sorry, Tsukishima-kun! I didn't mean to call you that! I'm so sorry!"
"D-Don't be." Kei coughed, the crestfallen look on the shorter boy's face making those weird feelings in his chest start up again. "It's not like you did anything wrong."
"But I disrespected your name, didn't I?!" Yamaguchi looked like he was about to cry. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!"
"It's okay, Yamaguchi." Kei mumbled. "I'm okay with you calling me that."
Almost instantly, Yamaguchi's face brightened up. "I can call you Tsukki?!"
"Y-Yeah."
"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi cheered. "Tsukki! Tsukki! Tsukki!"
"S-Shut up, Yamaguchi." Kei hid his face behind his science book, allowing himself to smile. This was the first time he'd ever been given a nickname. His own family only referred to him as Kei, and everyone at school was too afraid of him to even think of giving him one. It was probably childish of him, but having Yamaguchi give him a nickname made him feel special.
He wondered when he'd have the courage to give Yamaguchi his own nickname.
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was Thursday when Yamaguchi first stayed over.
A few weeks had passed since Yamaguchi had given him his nickname, and Kei had finally gotten used to it. Although he still got embarrassed whenever the freckled boy screamed "Tsukki!", he made sure it didn't show on his face. He also glared at anyone who thought just 'cause Yamaguchi could give him a nickname they could too.
No one but Yamaguchi was allowed to call him by a nickname.
"Yamaguchi." Kei called out from where he stood leaning by the freckled boy's classroom door. "Are you gonna take long?"
The freckled boy, busy stuffing his books into his bag, looked up at him. "I'm coming, Tsukki!" He slung his bag over his shoulder, practically skipping his way to the tall blond. "I'm so glad there aren't any classes tomorrow, Tsukki! I can finally stay over at your place! Do you think my parents are okay with it?"
"You come over almost every day." Kei scoffed, not unkindly, slowing his pace so the shorter boy could fall in step beside him. "I'm pretty sure both our parents are okay with it."
"Well, that's true." Yamaguchi mumbled, fiddling with the straps of his bag. "But it's the first time I'm staying overnight. What if my parents change their minds? What if I have trip over you in the middle of the night? What if I have a nightmare and wake up crying? What if--"
"Yamaguchi." Kei sighed. "Your parents won't change their minds, you've been asking them over and over since last week. You won't trip over me in the middle of the night, we're sharing the bed. If you do have a nightmare and end up crying, I'll help you calm down. It's no big deal."
"But--"
"It's okay, Yamaguchi."
The freckled boy chuckled, making Kei smile a little. "Thank you, Tsukki!"
They walked on in companionable silence, separating when they reached the intersection that lead to their houses. Yamaguchi left for his own, promising Kei it wouldn't take him long to pack and that he'd see the blond soon. Kei continued on in the other direction, trying not to let the excitement he felt show on his face.
Surprisingly, Akiteru was there when he arrived.
"Aki-nii?" Kei paused at the entrance to the kitchen, staring at the black-clad teenager that sat at the table. "I thought practice was going to be late?"
"They told us to go home early today." Akiteru meekly scratched the back of his head. "We have overnight practice tomorrow anyway. Our last game in the prefecture's next week, gotta step up our game."
Kei couldn't stop his eyes from bugging out. "It is?!" He cried out, practically jumping to stand beside his brother. "That's so cool! You'll be playing, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Wow!"
"It's not really that big of a deal, Kei."
"Yeah, it is! My brother's the ace!"
"I guess I am."
"Can I come watch?!"
Akiteru broke eye contact and looked away. Kei wondered if he said something to upset him.
"Aki-nii?"
"I don't think you should come watch, Kei." Akiteru said slowly. Kei couldn't see the expression on his face, but he could tell Akiteru's voice sounded sad. "You might distract me."
"Aww!" Kei pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "I really wanted to."
"I'll just tell you all about it when I get home, okay?" Akiteru placated, finally turning to look at him. "Is that okay for you, Kei?"
"Heeeh." Kei sighed. "Fine."
Akiteru smiled up at him, but it didn't crinkle the corner of his eyes like it usually did. "Hey, isn't Tadashi staying over?"
"He's just getting some things from his place." Kei answered nonchalantly, shrugging away his excitement. "He'll be here later."
Akiteru's smile turned into a smirk. "You're excited, aren't you?"
"W-What? N-No I'm not!" Kei stuttered, flushing. "I-It's just Yamaguchi. He comes over all the time."
"But he hasn't stayed overnight."
"S-Shut up, Nii-chan!"
"Sorry, Tsukki."
"Nii-chan!"
"Alright, alright!" Akiteru laughed, getting up to ruffle Kei's hair. "Get ready, Tadashi's gonna be here soon."
It didn't take long for Yamaguchi to arrive, a bag full of clothes slung over his shoulder and a box of homemade donuts in his hands. Kei had quickly handed the donuts over to his Mom, mumbled a hasty "Don't disturb us!" to a smirking Akiteru, and quickly dragged the poor kid up to his room.
"You can place your bag next to my desk." Kei began as he opened the door, pointing out where his desk was. "Mom said she'll just call us down when dinner's ready. You can just take your bath and brush your teeth after. You brought your own toothbrush, yeah?"
Yamaguchi nodded in reply, placing his bag where Kei had indicated. "Toothbrush, soap, and shampoo. Check!"
"Oh, okay." Kei laced his hands together, trying to keep his nerves in check. "So, wanna watch Jurassic Park?"
"Yeah!" Just like that, Yamaguchi's smile chased away all of Kei's reservations.
Here, in his room, he could be himself. Yamaguchi would never judge him.
They watched Jurassic Park huddled together, Yamaguchi listening aptly as Kei talked about the different types of dinosaurs in the film. They wandered out unto the balcony afterwards, Yamaguchi giggling softly as Kei traced the constellations in the sky on the stars on his face. They sat around telling stories to each other after their respective baths, Yamaguchi practically glowing as the heat of the water made his face flush red.
They laid beside each other that night, Kei staring silently at the other boy who slept across from him, listening to him breath. He could hear their heartbeats synching together in the silence. A few loose strands of soft brown hair had fallen across the other's freckled face, and Kei couldn't help but reach out and tuck them over one ear.
That night, Kei understood what that strange feeling in his chest was.
And even when he woke up with the other boy draped over him and drooling, the feeling never went away.
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was Friday when they went to Akiteru's last game.
Kei had wanted to come watch, hounding Akiteru almost every day for the past week, trying to get his stubborn older brother to change his mind. Akiteru remained firm in his decision though, and right before the day of the match, Kei had stopped talking about it.
He didn't need his brother's permission to watch the match, anyway.
"Yamaguchi!" Kei called out during recess, walking up to the freckled boy's seat. "I'm gonna go to Karasuno's match tomorrow, do you wanna come?"
Yamaguchi looked up from the homework he was writing, turning in his seat to face Kei. "Are you sure we can come?"
"My brother told me not to come because it'll make him nervous," Kei shrugged, "but since my brother's a third year, this is his final match in the prefecture."
"I'll go!" The other boy agreed excitedly. "I've never seen Akiteru-kun play!"
"Tsukishima, your brother's in Karasuno's volleyball club, too?" Another boy said as he approached them, butting into their conversation. "So's mine!"
Kei stared down at him, keeping his face neutral despite the annoyance he felt at being interrupted.
Besides, regardless how he felt, the boy continued. "What position does your older brother play?"
"Wing spiker." Kei answered as Yamaguchi's attention shifted between the two of them.
"Hey! So does mine!" The boy exclaimed, pointing at himself. "That team practically has a caste system, so it's rough. If you can't even play in matches, you really have to wonder if going to a powerhouse school is worth it."
"Tsukki's brother plays in the matches, though." Yamaguchi interrupted, catching the other boy's attention.
"What? No way." The other boy scoffed. "I saw a match recently, and none of the regulars were named Tsukishima."
Kei bristled, his control slipping away at the thought of his brother not being a regular.
"That can't be true!" He defended, taking a step closer. "I hear about matches all the time. It's gotta be some kind of mistake."
The boy clenched his fist as Kei stepped closer, Yamaguchi helplessly sitting between them. "You can see for yourself at the match!"
"Yeah, I can." Kei calmly replied.
He missed the worried look Yamaguchi had given him, too busy staring at the other boy's back as he walked away. Kei refused to believe any word he said about Akiteru. His brother wouldn't lie to him about being a regular. He wouldn't lie to him about being an ace. They'd watch the game tomorrow and Kei would see Akiteru there, spiking a ball past the opponent's blockers, just like he did all those years ago in middle school. The boy could just eat his words. He'd find Akiteru on the court.
He'd find Akiteru on the court.
He'd find--
Akiteru wasn't on the court.
Kei scanned the backs of the players in black, desperately trying to find a head of blond hair, trying to convince himself that his brother was out there somewhere. He had to be. He just had to be. In his concentration he didn't register one of the players moving, a dark-haired shortie in a Number 10 jersey, flinching as the player spiked a ball pass blockers that practically towered over him.
"That's awesome! Number 10 did it again!" Kei heard some of the players behind him comment. "He's only around 170 cm tall, too!"
"And he's only a second-year, right?" Another voice spoke up, sounding as incredulous as the first. "Amazing!"
"See?!" The boy from yesterday began shouting, moving past Yamaguchi to wave a flyer at Kei's face. "The one of the left is the third-year Kawada-kun, and on the other side is the second-year ace they call the Little Giant! For about a year now!"
"We get it!" Yamaguchi interrupted him mid-rant, putting a hand on the boy's arm to push him away. Kei had remained perfectly still, not uttering a word as he ignored everyone around him. He tuned them all out, missing the way Yamaguchi's voice had turned quiet and hesitant as he said, "We can see that..."
And then, suddenly, while everything around him was a blur...
Kei was hit by a ton of bricks.
It was like one of those old samurai movies they used to watch with his Dad when they were kids. The movie would start out in a quiet old village, unknown to everyone except its inhabitants and the occasional vagabond. Then a swordfight breaks out between the vagabond and a bandit, jarring everyone from the stillness of the scene before it. Just as the viewers settle in for the action scene, it happens...
Slice.
The bandit's head is sliced right off.
Looking back on it, scenes like that always shocked Kei. He was never really prepared for the gore, and even if he was, it was still delivered with enough impact that he'd end up flinching back as the screen was bathed in the red of the aftermath.
The reality of his brother not being the ace.
Hell, not being on the court at all.
But standing right across from him, on the bleachers, his eyes as dead as Kei's ever seen them.
It was more shocking.
Devastating.
"Pathetic."
Without another word, Kei turned and left. He could hear Yamaguchi mumbling apologies to the other boy with them, could feel him walking two steps behind. Kei's gold eyes were dark, like he'd cast a wall over them, staring straight ahead and not seeing anything else. Yamaguchi's soft brown ones were clouded with worry, his eyebrows knitting together as he kept his eyes on the blond in front of him.
They had walked to the front of the gymnasium in silence, thick with emotion and bursting at the seams. When Kei had finally turned to look at Yamaguchi, his eyes were devoid of the sparkle and emotion that had once been there. He's already put his walls up, ignoring the voice in his head telling him Yamaguchi didn't deserve this. He just couldn't bring himself to care anymore.
Akiteru lied to him.
He lied to him about being a regular.
He lied to him about being the ace.
He lied to him about everything.
And it left Kei broken.
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was Saturday when Kei felt some pieces fall back into place.
It also happened to be the day before they started their first year at Karasuno High School.
At Yamaguchi's insistence, Kei had slept over, waking up to the unmistakable sound of his best friend snoring. They'd stayed up late last night, watching some a documentary about ant colonies. It was boring as hell, but Yamaguchi didn't seem to mind. He was his usual chatty self, talking enough for both of them, oblivious to the way Kei was looking at him.
Ever since the incident with Akiteru, Kei knew he wasn't really acting the same. He'd been more cynical and sarcastic than he usually was, cracking jokes that were at best condescending and at worst just plain mean. He didn't talk much either, having bought himself a pair of headphones to discourage people from attempting a conversation with him.
He was half-expecting Yamaguchi to leave him.
But, even though he didn't deserve it, Yamaguchi had stayed.
He snickered and laughed at Kei's jokes, despite being too nice to initiate the jokes himself. He kept silent whenever Kei slid his headphones on, and because he felt guilty Kei kept them off until they separated at the intersection. He had taken it upon himself to remind Kei of everything good about him, bragging about his height and his mind and his skills, already having a "Sorry, Tsukki!" ready whenever Kei told him to shut up.
And before Kei could even realize it, Yamaguchi had grown into his own person.
Yamaguchi was no longer the scrawny little kid he found bullied in the park. He was taller now, his shoulders filling out nicely, his wit almost as sharp as Kei's own. He had stopped being shy towards strangers, lashing out at people who thought mocking Kei was a good idea. He had even started going against Kei, suggesting they do things the blond normally never did and stubbornly sticking to them.
Yamaguchi was changing, and it was getting harder for Kei to ignore his feelings for him.
"Yamaguchi." Kei whispered into the space between them, smiling when the freckled boy's face scrunched up. He reached out toward him, like he did all those months ago when Yamaguchi had first come over, tucking stray strands of the boy's hair behind one ear. He let his fingers glide across the boy's face, tracing constellations from the freckles. "Yamaguchi Tadashi." He breathed out, fingers lingering on the other boy's cheek. "Tadashi. Loyalty and devotion. It's perfect for you."
"You think so, Tsukki?"
Kei felt his breath get caught in his throat.
Yamaguchi slowly opened his eyes, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry," he mumbled, voice rough with sleep, "but I woke up when you called my name."
Kei stared at him blankly. "Oh."
"You did this before, too." Yamaguchi continued, bringing his hand up to grab Kei's wrist, pulling at it till Kei let go of his face. He interlaced their fingers between them, squeezing gently. "I thought I was just imagining it, but you did this before, when I first slept over."
Kei looked away, blushing lightly. "M-Maybe it was just your imagination," he stuttered, "I don't remember doing s-something like that..."
Yamaguchi giggled, a soft sound making Kei's heart beat faster. "I already caught you in the act, Tsukki. Don't lie."
"Fine." Kei confessed. "You should have said something if you didn't like it."
"I didn't say I didn't like it." Yamaguchi's voice was so soft, Kei thought he didn't hear him right.
"Excuse me?" He asked, one eyebrow raised as he looked back at the other boy. Their hands were still intertwined between them, and Yamaguchi seemed to be staring a hole right through them. "Could you repeat that, Yamaguchi?"
The freckled boy pouted. "I-I didn't say I didn't l-like it."
"Yamaguchi..."
"L-Listen..." Yamaguchi interrupted him, squeezing his hand tighter. "We're not kids anymore. We'll be highschoolers tomorrow. Things are bound to change. We can't help but meet new people, you know. Maybe we'll even drift apart. And... And sleeping together like this.. It's just... It's not something two highschool boys do, right?"
"So?" Kei scoffed. "What's your point, Yamaguchi?"
"I just..." Yamaguchi swallowed. "Tsukki, what do you feel about me?"
Kei couldn't reply.
Yamaguchi took it as a sign to continue.
"We've been friends for a long, long time. And I've always looked up to you, ever since that day in the park." Yamaguchi rambled on, still not letting go of his hand. "But lately I've been feelings things friends shouldn't feel for other friends. They're confusing feelings, and they make my chest tight and my head hurt. I try to understand them but I just don't get it. I'm not as smart as you, Tsukki. I don't know these feelings... I just... I don't know anymore, Tsukki... But I think... I think I like you..."
Several seconds ticked by and all Kei could do was stare at boy in front of him. His voice trailed off at the end of his sentence, the words coming out as a soft whisper Kei had had to strain his ears to listen. Yamaguchi kept his head down and avoided his gaze, the strands of hair Kei had tucked away now falling back over his face. Kei could barely make-out the expression on the other boy's face, but he could see that he was blushing and chewing his lower lip. He looked so small and so fragile, lying right there beside him, not speaking a word.
Yamaguchi being like this only meant one thing.
He was scared.
Kei smiled, rolled his eyes, and groaned.
He was going to regret this someday.
Without warning, he tugged hard at the other boy's hand, making Yamaguchi yelp in surprise as he slid forward on the sheets, his head meeting Kei's chest with a small "thud". Before he could pull away, Kei slid his other up and under him, grabbing the back of his head and keeping his freckled face pressed against his chest, right over his beating heart.
"T-T-T-Tsukki!"
"Shut up and listen, Yamaguchi."
"B-B-But T-Tsukki! Y-You're--"
"Just listen, Tadashi."
Kei waited as Tadashi took a deep breath, letting it out as he relaxed into the embrace.
"We're gonna be highschoolers tomorrow." Kei began slowly. "And as much as I'd like to avoid it, we will end up meeting new people. But I don't think anything else would change between us."
Tadashi nodded against his chest, and Kei could feel him shudder in his arms.
"Even if something does change, we've known each other for far too long that I think we'll be fine adapting to it. We've adapted to a lot of things so far, so I'm going to assume we can adapt to this." Kei continued, resting his chin atop the other's head. "Just so you know, you're not the only one having confusing feelings. I've been having them too. I... I think I like you too, Tadashi."
Tadashi's free hand found its way to Kei's chest, gripping at his shirt as the other boy whimpered. Kei pressed him tighter against him, sighing as the whimpers turned into sobs and suddenly his best friend was crying. Tadashi had probably wound himself up too tight, prepared himself for the worst, and Kei couldn't understand why he hadn't noticed that Tadashi had fallen just as deep as he had.
Honestly, this really wasn't how Kei imagined this confession would go.
It wasn't like he didn't think about confessing. On the contrary, he thought about it almost every day, ever since he realized what his feelings were. He imagined confessing to Tadashi would be grander, more dramatic, with rose petals and speeches and maybe even an audience to cheer them on.
But then again he didn't say "I love you".
Ah, yes.
He said "I like you".
Huh.
Maybe they'd get that dramatic confession scene after all.
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~
It was late Sunday afternoon, and it had finally stopped raining.
Kei had gone back to sleep some time that morning, and was woken up by the sun's harsh rays glaring through their open curtains. He blindly groped for his glasses, almost knocking them off the bedside table. Putting them on, he was surprised to find Tadashi's side of the bed empty.
It was rare for Tadashi to be awake before him.
He kicked the covers off of him, stretching as he made his way to their closet, carelessly shuffling through pieces of clothing to find a shirt. He was just about to tidy up their bed when the smell of pancakes beckoned him to the kitchen. Tadashi would probably scold him if he saw the bed, but pancakes were waiting.
He chose the pancakes.
Kei yawned his way to the kitchen, stopping to lean on the breakfast counter as he took in the sight before him.
Tadashi was in one of those extra-large shirts he had grown fond off. The one with the too-wide neckline that hung off his shoulders. The one that was long enough to be considered a dress. The one that he always, always paired with boxers that made him look like he was wearing nothing but a shirt.
The one that drove Kei crazy.
"What are you doing?" Kei asked, walking to stand behind the shorter man, wrapping his arms around the other's midsection. "Are those pancakes?"
"Yes, obviously." Tadashi chuckled, ignoring him to continue flipping pancakes. "I was hoping to surprise you with breakfast in bed, but it looks like you have other plans."
"Mhm." Kei mumbled, burying his head in the crook of Tadashi's neck. "You smell good."
"I just showered." Tadashi scrunched up his face. "You should take one too."
"After breakfast." Kei kissed his neck, enjoying the way the other man flushed at the action. "How long?"
"A couple of minutes." Tadashi replied, breath hitching as Kei's hands wandered up his chest. "T-Tsukki! Go prepare coffee or something, sheesh!"
Kei smiled at the wedding ring glinting on Tadashi's finger, placing a kiss on his husbadn's temple as he stepped away. "Good morning, Tadashi."
Tadashi sighed up at him, a small smile on his lips and his eyes shining like they did the first time Kei met him. "Good morning, Kei."
~☆~☆~☆~☾~☆~☆~☆~