Chapter Text
The squeaky sound of shoes running around filled the school gym. Everyone was putting in some serious effort into the training, just like always. The gym was warm, and running around to receive and hit the ball also helped the boys keep their body at an adequate temperature.
It was currently January, and the early morning training hours were well-appreciated by the team, even though most of them despised the walk to school in the freezing weather.
Hinata and Kageyama were currently arguing about who'd gotten to the gym first that morning, while Nishinoya was working hard to perfect his reception with coach Ukai.
Yamaguchi smiled at the cozy atmosphere that had settled around them in the volleyball gym. He looked around, his eyes finding Tsukishima almost immediately; his tall, blond best friend was right next to Nishinoya, working on his blocking.
Yamaguchi was about to call out his name, when he overheard Tanaka making a loud comment while he talking with the other senpais. "Tanaka! Not so loud, gosh..." Sugawara sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, Daichi just laughed warmly at the scene— it was familiar, it felt like a second home.
Yamaguchi chose to join the conversation, jogging up to the senpais, but just as he was about to ask what they were talking about, Asahi also intervened. "Ah, but I think I kinda get what Suga is saying, I mean, Yamaguchi is like a puppy following around its owner. Tsukishima on the other hand..." the ace shivered "—he's kinda like a wolf."
Everybody nodded, even Kageyama and Hinata who'd just stopped bickering. Yamaguchi blinked a few times, clearly confused. Tsukki? A wolf? What did that mean?
"What are you guys talking about?" He asked curiously, walking over to his teammates. Most of the senpais froze, and Sugawara immediately tried to laugh it off as a joke. "It was nothing Yamaguchi, you don't have to worry about—", "I'm pretty sure the senpais were talking about your crush on Tsukishima." Hinata said as if it were the most normal thing ever, talking over Sugawara.
Tanaka burst out laughing, "Hinata! You really have no ability to read between the lines. It's the funniest thing ever!"
As Tanaka just laughed his ass off, Kageyama practically doubled down on what Hinata had already stared, "I don't really get what the big deal is. I don't usually agree with this guy, but he clearly does have a point." He said as calmly as ever. "Wait— Yamaguchi, don't you have feelings for Tsukishima?" He asked, looking Tadashi straight in the eyes.
Yamaguchi felt his cheeks heat up. What was going on right now?! "I— I really don't understand the point of this conversation," he blurted out, looking back at Tsukishima to see if he'd noticed them, or if he'd heard anything.
"Well, we were saying that it's really funny how our Tsukishima, who's usually the smartest out of the group, is the most oblivious person on earth when it comes to love." Tanaka explained with a grin, "I mean, Kageyama and Hinata aren't the brightest students in here, yet they still realised you like him, and he didn't." Sugawara shook his head, sighing at hus friend's antics. "Still, it's quite obvious he's got a soft spot for you, Yamaguchi."
This last comment didn't really help calm down Yamaguchi's racing heart. Daichi clapped his hand on Yamaguchi's shoulder in a comforting manner. "Well— it actually looks like you've got yourself a protector, Yamaguchi!" He said with a grin, and once again, everyone agreed.
Hinata jumped up, way too excited about this conversation. "That's true! Tsukishima always goes out of his way to help you! He'a always so calm when he's talking to you. When I try to call him 'Tsukki' he just glares at me!" He said angrily, imitating Tsukishima's icy glare.
Yamaguchi gulped. This was dangerous, extremely dangerous.
"I don't know how to explain it, but sometimes it looks as if he really likes you, I mean— Girls confess to him everyday yet he only ever has eyes for you."
How could these guys be so sure of it? All they were doing was giving him false hope. After all, Tsukki wasn't like that, he wasn't like him.
"You're wrong!" He gasped, "Tsukki's just a good friend, but he isn't my protector and he most definitely doesn't have a soft spot for me!" He said, his voice reaching an embarrassingly high pitch.
Just as he was about to continue, coach Ukai yelled at the bunch to get back to work, and everyone resumed their training.
Utterly defeated, Yamaguchi walked back on the court, practicing his float serve.
...
Lessons were about to start, and most of the team was already cleaning up the gym after the morning training, except for Hinata and Kageyama, who were still arguing as they threw the ball between them.
Yamaguchi jogged up to Tsukishima with a grin on his face. "Nice blocking today Tsukki! Your spikes were also incredibly cool!" He said excitedly. He could allow himself this much, he'd always admired the taller boy for his ability to do anything if he put his will into it. So it wasn't weird of him to praise his best friend, he'd been doing that basically since they first met.
Tsukishima just hummed, barely acknowledging the compliments. He was used to it at this point, and he knew Yamaguchi didn't mind his little enthusiasm.
"Yeah sure, good work today." He said in that same, unimpressed, and measured tone that Yamaguchi somehow liked so much. "Those two idiots really do have the stamina of a monster," he muttered, looking in Kageyama and Hinata's direction. Yamaguchi followed Tsukishima's gaze and chuckled awkwardly, "Well, I guess that's one of the reasons as to why they're so good." He observed, now back to looking up at the blond.
Tsukishima was really handsome, Yamaguchi had thought that ever since they first met. However, now girls in their same year and even some senpais were starting to catch up on that. It made Yamaguchi's stomach twist uncomfortably, an ugly feeling he didn't really have the right to feel.
Tsukishima wasn't his, even if he'd been the first to become friends with the tall, stoic boy, he didn't own him, so he couldn't be jealous of other people who admired his beauty. It was natural to be attracted to him.
Lost in thought, Yamaguchi didn't even realise he'd been staring at Tsukishima. He snapped out of it the exact second he felt a strong arm wrap around his middle, and suddenly Tsukishima turned them around, swapping their places and shielding Yamaguchi with his broader shoulders.
Yamaguchi was almost fully pressed against the taller one's chest, Tsukishima's arm holding him steadily. Yamaguchi had noticed Kei had gotten leaner and more toned, after all he did sometimes sneak a glance as they changed in the club room. But holy shit, feeling those muscles underneath the white t-shirt was a completely new experience.
Tsukishima looked good. A little bit too good. With his height, building up muscle just made his shoulders broader, and when he wore short sleeves, there were some quick moments when Yamaguchi liked to peek at his forearms, adorned by elegant veins, and his biceps.
He felt Tsukishima's solid chest under his hands, the calm rhythm of his heartbeat, the way his body flinched slightly when a ball hit his back, the warmth spreading from his body... wait— a ball??
"You idiots, you're gonna end up hitting someone if you keep doing that. Why don't you stop playing like two kids and start cleaning up?" He said looking back, his tone slightly annoyed.
It was normal, totally normal, this was how he usually talked to Kageyama and Hinata. Teasing, annoyed, sarcastic. It was incredibly normal. So why the hell was Yamaguchi's heart about to jump out of his own chest?!
Yamaguchi felt his own face get redder and redder as he realised Tsukishima literally just shielded him from a stupid ball. There was no way Sugawara and the others were right. Tsukki? his protector? Nope. Just a really good friend who looked out for him. Yeah, that was it.
"Oi, Yamaguchi you still with me?" Bad. Incredibly bad. Terrifingly bad. Tsukishima's voice was way too close. He was breathing practically on his face.
He looked up, startled and flushed, his hands pressing lightly on Tsukishima's chest to put some space between them. "Yeah!" He said, ignoring how his voice broke slightly, "Absolutely, I'm totally fine, t– thanks Tsukki!" Yamaguchi really tried to school his expression back to normal, but Tsukishima was examining him carefully, not daring to break eye contact.
"You sure? Your face is kinda red–"
"I'm good Tsukki!" Yamaguchi gasped, managing to free himself from Tsukishima's grasp. "I– I'll go change!" He said before rushing out of the gym and into the club room.
Tsukishima frowned, a confused expression etched on his face as he watched the shorter one disappear from his sight.
"Tsukishima... what exactly did you do to Yamaguchi for him to react like that?" Kageyama asked as he finished tidying up.
"Hah? I didn't do anything, you annoying king. Just mind your own business," Tsukishima sighed, blending out Kageyama's angry comebacks.
A thought settled in his mind. Feather-light and quick. Dangerous.
Just now... Yamaguchi looked kind of cute.