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Kei is still deep in thought as he enters their team’s assigned locker room with everyone else.
They already played two sets against Shiratorizawa, and finally got their momentum back since the first set. They are allowed a short break before they need to head back to the court.
With everyone freshening up and chatting around him, strategies plan out in his head. Even though his mind knows he is not alone in this, he cannot stop. So much depends on this now. His movements are automatic as he pulls a towel from his bag and buries his face in it. The familiar scent of the laundry detergent his mom uses relaxes Kei a little. Then he puts the towel around his sweaty neck, and heads toward the bathroom. He feels fine, invigorated even, he just wants to massage his fingers a little without everyone else seeing it.
A little privacy is what he needs now. Maybe that will help with organizing his thoughts as well.
There is little light in the room and he is so entranced in his mind, he pays little attention to his surroundings. As he steps to the mirror, Kei slides his sports glasses down to hang around his neck. These eyes need to rest a little, too. Rubbing at them and seeing stars, he clumsily bumps his fingers into the side of the sink as he tries to turn the water on, letting out a little yelp.
“Are you okay?”
With his glasses off, he can only make out a blurry someone standing below the small window. However, that soft, concerned voice can only belong to one person.
“Yeah,” he breathes, and shoves his hands under the water.
“Do you need privacy? I’m done, so I can guard the door.”
Kei lets out a little chuckle. Of course Yamaguchi knows what he needs. The boy takes his chuckle as a yes and nods, then heads to the exit. As he comes closer, Kei can make out his mop of unruly brown hair, and his kind eyes underneath.
And then he changes his mind.
As Yamaguchi tries to go past him, Kei’s wet fingers curl around his wrist. Yamaguchi immediately halts to a stop, looking at him with wide eyes.
“Stay,” Kei mumbles, and he is really glad he can’t really see now because he already feels his cheeks heating up. He looks anywhere but him, and lets go of Yamaguchi’s hand as if he’s been burned. “If you want to,” he adds as a way out, but isn’t sure if it’s to reassure his friend or himself.
Yamaguchi steps even closer though, and Kei’s heart speeds up as the other reaches past him and turns off the tap.
“Okay.”
A quiet, gentle voice. Kei’s heart swells, now it feels unbearable that he can only vaguely make out his face. Though they are very close, he needs to see the soft face that this voice belongs to. Yamaguchi’s irises look almost black in the dim light and he immediately misses the real, indescribable, irresistible color.
“How are your fingers, Tsukki?”
This time, Yamaguchi takes hold of his hand, turning it to the light seeping in from the window.
They aren’t in the best shape. The tape has started to peel off a little, some of them are bruised, and his left ring finger is a bit purple. Kei hadn’t even noticed it until now. The work he put into his blocks is showing on his body—his hands. It throbs painfully as Yamaguchi taps it.
“Not good, Tsukki.” There is so much concern in his voice that Kei stops breathing for a second. “Let me help?”
It sounds almost like a question, but Yamaguchi doesn’t wait for his answer and pulls at the towel around his neck. He lightly pats it on Kei’s hands to get them dry, then puts it back and takes some medical tape out from his jersey’s pocket.
He must have had it there already before the match started, Kei marvels, and cannot help the smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth.
“Does it hurt a lot? I bet it does. Though I’m sure you have other concerns now, but—it just looks painful. Can I–” Yamaguchi stops and looks up.
His breath hitches, maybe just realizing how close they really stand. But neither of them move away. Yamaguchi’s hand is shaking now, hardly noticeable, but Kei feels those tan, calloused fingers slide over his once more.
His friend looks determined now. Yamaguchi is starting to pull out some tape and carefully slides it around Kei’s finger, making sure it isn’t too tight.
Kei’s eyes roam the other’s face while he is at work. He can’t quite make his freckles out in the relative darkness, but he finally notices that the boy’s ears are red, a light blush spread across his cheeks. He even pokes his tongue out in concentration.
Kei finds it all too cute for words.
He wants to stop Ushijima Wakatoshi. And with Yamaguchi helping him, Kei knows he will.