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“Only three more days until Christmas!” Yachi sing-songs as the team files out of the gymnasium after their last training session before the short winter break. Tsukishima follows Yachi and Yamaguchi out while Hinata and Kageyama bicker behind him. Yachi looks up at Yamaguchi as the two of them talk, her eyes glittering with excitement as she discusses Christmas plans with Yamaguchi. Tsukishima tries to ignore the familiar sense of discomfort that greets him whenever Yamaguchi gets too enthusiastic with their team manager.
It’s not that Tsukishima is jealous of Yamaguchi’s friendship with Yachi, exactly. If he were to describe his feelings in any other way, it would be that he is simply protective of Yamaguchi, as any friend should be. (Although that still doesn’t explain why it pains him so much to see his best friend so happy with someone else).
“ … and Tsukki –,” Tsukishima lifts his head when he hears Yamaguchi mention his name. “… Tsukki is coming to mine on Christmas Eve,” Yamaguchi tells Yachi, smiling at Tsukishima who tries to smile back and fails spectacularly.
The team continues to walk to Sakanoshita where fresh pork buns await them. Amidst the chatter, Tsukishima wonders vaguely if his feelings towards Yamaguchi were normal, for friends. He glances at Hinata and Kageyama, who decide at that moment to race down to Ukai’s shop and both yell hurls of abuse at each other as they sprint ahead. Asahi, Daichi, and Sugawara walk together, talking quietly amongst themselves. Nishinoya and Tanaka are whispering fervently to each other, looking excited about something before they lock eyes with Tsukishima and run towards him.
“You know, Tsukishima, you’re a bit quiet tonight, more so than usual,” observes Nishinoya while Tanaka nods aggressively beside him.
“He seems very concerned about something. Or someone,” Tanaka’s eyes flash dangerously in the direction of Yamaguchi. Tsukishima wills himself to not to kick his senpai.
“I don’t know what goes on in that big, brilliant mind of yours, but it won’t kill you to actually talk about what’s bothering you from time to time,” Nishinoya advises him, with all the wisdom of a seventeen-year-old boy.
“Thank you for your advice, Nishinoya-senpai, Tanaka-senpai,” Tsukishima simpers, giving them a smile so fake it causes Tanaka to get riled up.
“OI! We’re your senpa - !”
“Tanaka! Shut up, you’re being too loud,” Daichi calls out to Tanaka and Nishinoya, who look unabashed. Tanaka gives Daichi a lazy wave of acknowledgement before shooting daggers at Tsukishima.
“We’re just helping you, Tsukishima!” Nishinoya lowers his voice so as not to get scolded by Daichi before running off ahead with Tanaka right behind him who shakes his head and mutters something that sounds like “Kids these days”. Tsukishima sighs as more thoughts race through his mind.
He sees the small, freckled boy get pushed down to the ground, dirt flying everywhere. The eighth-graders jeer at the boy and Tsukishima knows in that moment that he isn’t just going to stand idly by while some innocent kid gets beaten up by jerks. He steps in, fully aware that these bullies are older than him, but that is of little concern; he towers over them, sneering. They take a few steps back, evidently startled. Tsukishima shares one glance with the boy on the ground, who legitimately looks like he has sparkles in his eyes. Feeling a small sense of triumph, Tsukishima turns to the bullies again.
“How lame,” Tsukishima scoffs, overshadowing the middle-schoolers. They mumble a few things before deciding that it would be more prudent to run than fight. They run off, calling out half-assed comments and empty threats, so Tsukishima ignores them and turns to look at the boy on the ground again who still has that ridiculous expression of awe on his face. The boy opens his mouth presumably to say something – thank you, perhaps – but Tsukishima turns and walks off, leaving a star-struck thirteen year-old Yamaguchi on the ground behind him.
Someone pats him on his shoulder; Tsukishima shakes himself out of his reverie and turns to see Yamaguchi, who is holding out a pork bun for him. He takes it gratefully, savouring the warmth of the bun. Yamaguchi continues talking with Yachi, Hinata, and Kageyama and Tsukishima once again feels that odd sense of … well, he supposes it could be jealousy. But it isn’t necessarily jealousy over Yamaguchi having fun with others. It’s more of a sudden realisation that Yamaguchi is no longer the boy who falls and cries when he’s pushed; he no longer needs Tsukishima to be there for him, not in that sense. And that, Tsukishima registers, is what had been bothering him all this time beyond everything else; beyond Yamaguchi’s friendship with Yachi, and beyond his feelings towards his best friend.
Damn, Yamaguchi. When did you get so cool? Tsukishima thinks to himself with a stab of pride as Yamaguchi continues to chatter animatedly with the other members of the team. It won’t kill you to actually talk about what’s bothering you, Nishinoya’s voice rings in his head but Tsukishima ignores it. As if reading his mind, his best friend suddenly pulls away from the group and falls in line with Tsukishima.
“You okay?” Yamaguchi asks. Tsukishima nods, knowing that now is not the right time to talk to Yamaguchi about his feelings.
“Yeah,” Tsukishima tells him truthfully. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Yamaguchi grins at him, the moonlight illuminating his freckles. Although Tsukishima understands that right now, Yamaguchi will only ever see him as just his friend, he can’t help but relish slightly in the fact that tomorrow night, on Christmas Eve, he will be spending time alone with Yamaguchi, without everyone else hovering nearby. It’ll be nice, he thinks. He couldn’t really imagine a more wonderful way to spend this time of year.