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A faint buzzing start to full Kawanishi's ear when he starts to focus back to reality to look at his phone that has just started buzzing, disturbing his sleep. He slugged his left arm lazily over his body and slammed it onto the nightstand that was right by his bed, like a claw machine, it took a few tries to finally grab his phone and boosted himself up with his other arm. He stared at the screen for what felt like hours in his sleepy head of his, questioning why someone in the right mind would anyone at 2 o' clock in the morning. Finally deciding to pick up the call
he slid his finger across the screen and places the phone to his ears. "Hello, this is Kawanishi Taichi speaking. May I know who the heck decided it would be a great idea to wake me up at 2am?"He sounded harsh on some word and you couldn't blame him, not everyone really like to wake up to phone calls in the middle of the night. There was a small pause between him and the caller, half of his mind wanted to think it was just a prank call and should back to sleep but the other half wanted to keep waiting because there was definitely breathing one the other side, shaky breath to be exact. He was about to hang up until he heard a small noise through the other side,"Kawa...Kawanishi." Kawanishi almost choked on his own breath when he heard the voice; so familiar but so out of place, he had never heard Shirabu sound so scared in his life "Shira? Is that even you?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Why are you calling me at this type of hour? You know I have an important test tomorrow, or today actually,you know what I mean."
"I know and I'm sorry for that, just meet me at the playground by your house. Okay?" Questions risen in his head when Shirabu said that line because 1. he never, it not rarely apologizes 2. why would he bother calling him in the night just so that they can go to a beaten up playground that looks like it could fall at any moment (at least that is what it looks like in Kawanishi's dull, bored eyes) "Just please come, meet me at around 2:30, okay. I need to talk to you, like, right now."
"Why can't you just talk to me over the phone instead of both of us putting so much work into sneaking out? What so important for you to tell me in in real life and not-"
"Just come okay!" Shirabu snapped harshly back, Kawanishi wasn't sure he did that because he was in a dorm room and his room mate was sleeping or that he was losing patience, since when did Shirabu have patience for someone that wasn't Ushijima? Kawanishi make a small, dull snort while thinking then heard Shirabu talk again. "You're better to 'read' when you're face-to-face with someone" Kawanishi silently agreed to what his friend had just said. Even him admits that he is as speechless as a piece of soggy wood. There was a long pause between both that was then broken when Kawanishi shortly responded back to Shirabu "Alright, I'll go. But you owe me big time." Kawanishi heard a sigh on the other side of the line, knowing very well that Shirabu is getting himself ready for whatever Kawanishi has in plan. "No need to sigh at this moment right now, my friend."
"See you there?"
"You'll definitely see a 188 cm teenager in the dark I'm pretty sure."
"Shut up."
"No, you hang up first~" Click. The call was over and Kawanishi was 99% sure that it was because of his 'attempt' to lighten the mood. A rough groan roared out when he got up from his comfortable bed. He glided across his cold floor to his closet and slugged on what felt to be a a T-shirt, hoodie, converses, and a pair of jeans, he didn't bother zipping up the pants because of two reason,he couldn't find the zipper, and that it didn't even matter because it was dark anyways. Luckily his room was on the first floor in his house and could be able to slip away out without getting caught. When he opened up the window he felt the cool summer night wind brush across his face and slowly climbed out, later putting a nearby rock between the window so he could get back into his room.
He was alone at the playground for what felt like hours, swinging on the swings until his 'resting-bitch-face™' friend arrived, pale faced, at least that's what he looked like in the dark. "You came?" Shirabu finally breaking the silence between the two second year then sitting down on the swing that was beside Kawanishi. "Of course I came, I'm not an asshole like you are"
"Fuck off." Shirabu said while giving his friend a soft and kinda playful punch to the arm
"You fuck off first, if I wasn't so tired I would slap a stick across your head."
"I-I wouldn't blame you" Shirabu tone was softer than what mostly everyone is use too. It was even more terrifying when you hear it in real life and Kawanishi somehow is more worried than tired then when he was at his house talking to him on the phone. "So what did you want me here for that was so important?" Shirabu felt the obvious sarcasm at the end but for once, he didn't fight back. Instead he just sat there more quiet than usual, which is something everyone was bad. "So what was so important for me to come here and not talk to you on the phone? must be pretty critical."
"Oh, um, right... that,"
"Yeah, 'that'. What exactly is that?"
"I... I had a nightmare,"
"I'm leaving. Period."
"Wait what, no,"
"Shirabu, you can't FUCKIN' call people in the middle of the night when they have a test tomorrow, tell them to meet at a shitty playground, and then tell them you had a god damn fucking nightmare!" Kawanishi was halfway from getting off the swing when he felt Shirabu grab his arm, he tried to shake but to his surprise, his friend had a fairly strong grip "Just listen to me please."
'and why should I do that?' Kawanishi wanted to say those words so badly right now but gave in and sat back down due to Shirabu squeezing to hard now and making his arm hurt, this was a obvious sign for the latter to let go and continue his speech. "I've been having them for a while now ever since we lost to that shit team, Karasuno,"
"Looks likes someone is a poor sport, huh,"
"Shut up."
"Do you really want me to 'shut up'?"
"Yes, yes I do. I need you to shut up so I can continue,"
"Fineeeee."
"Ever since that happened I've been getting nightmare that I couldn't bring out Ushijima's true strength, took Semi's spot as a setter for no reason, and most of all failed the team."
"Still sounds like you're a poor sport, man"
"Oh please, it's not like everyone can have your level chill and boredom,"
"And not everyone can have your level of bitch, Shira. Maybe that Karasuno's #1, maybe Semi, who knows." Kawanishi started to get bored with the conversation so started push himself around on the swing, letting the cold air brush his cheeks while he goes forward. "If you're still having troubles with coping with the loss, know that our team isn't the perfect team as we look like, we still have some edges that aren't polish and don't think you made all of those rough edges, I honestly think that I've made more than half of those edges," Kawanishi only ended his sentence with a dead laugh then started to pick up the conversation again. "Think of life as a swing, you can go forward and back, even sideways. But no matter what direction you go, you'll always go down and when you go down, even if you feel like absolute shit, you get two options. Get off the swing, or keep of pushing." Shirabu ended up staring at his teammate with wide eyes (or at least what looked like wide eyes in the dark), he never thought Kawanishi would say that in his life.Ever. Kawanishi jumped off the swing with minimal effort and popped a sucker that he found in his hoodie's pocket in his mouth and shoved the wrapper in his pocket. "Thank you, Taichi."
"No prob, Bo-wait, did you just call me by my first name?" Kawanishi could almost feel the heat of the blush on Shirabu's face, he could swear it.
"I think that I should head back to Shiritorizawa now, looks like it's getting early" Shirabu said as he pointed at the small sunrise peeking over the world.
"Oh, you're right. Want me to walk you back?
"I actually think I need some help to get into the window."
"Did you seriously just say that right now?"
"What?"
"Do you really need me to help you get back into your own dorm?"
"Oh, shut your fricking trap, Taichi,"
"So should I call you by your first name now since you call me by mine or-"
"ZIP IT!".
Dogs started to bark when Shirabu snapped back at his friends then stood up from his swing and turned around so he could walk back to the school with Kawanishi following closely behind him, going in front of Shirabu couple of times. Shirabu blames his legs. Kawanishi thinks that blame is bullshit.
They finally reach the school in record time with Shirabu getting a piggyback ride from Kawanishi only to find out something, the window was locked. No matter how hard both of them lifted the damn thing, they couldn't move it one crack. "Didn't you put something between the window?" Kawanishi asked
"I...I don't think so," Shirabu rested his hand on the glass and Kawanishi cocked one eyebrow at him, a habit of his.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I mean I probably forgot to put something down or maybe my roommate shoved it of because it was so could tonight,"
"So you're stuck out here,"
"Pretty much, Taichi" Kawanishi clicked his tongue at that then turned on his heel and started to walk the other way. "Taichi, where are you going?"
"My house, come on I don't want you to freeze out here, Ken."
"I'll be fine getting this open, I don't want you to be in more trouble anyways," Kawanishi at this point was getting stubborn. Turning back to face his friend, he grabbed Shirabu bridal style and started walking back to his home, gripping onto Shirabu as he tried to struggle out, there was no success. Finally giving up halfway. Finally reaching the Kawanishi house, both of them slid into the back and carefully got back into the room. Shirabu removed his jacket and flopped down on the bed, making a soft thud noise. "Hey, move over." Shirabu obliged to what Kawanishi said and started to scoot back further down the bed. With the sound of ruffling fabric, Kawaishi laid down beside him, slugging him arm around Shirabu's small body, "Taichi,"
"Ye?"
"Are you naked?"
"What no, why would you say that?"
"It's just that I can feel your bare chest,"
"Just because I sleep in my boxers doesn't mean I'm naked, Ken."
"It kinda does." Kawanishi, to tease Shirabu, hold him closer and started to lean on him.
"Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep,"
"You know I can't really do that with your bare chest on me,"
"Do it anyways. Learn to do it,"
"Not sure if I ca-"
"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Kawanishi shushed Shirabu by placing his large, calloused hand. Minutes have passed now and Kawanishi is already dead asleep, but Shirabu has only started to feel drowsy from the warmth that Kawanishi was making. Slowly drifting off, thinking about him.