Chapter Text
“Tsukki! You’ll come to watch us during Golden Week right?” Yamaguchi asked the taller boy while munching on the sandwich he brought with him to school. It was currently their morning break in class. They didn’t really feel like going to the cafeteria to buy snacks since it usually is packed during this time of the day. So, they settled to just eating in their classroom. Yamaguchi, who has his designated seat in front of the blond, just turned his chair around to make conversations with his best friend.
“Why are you so persistent that I come watch? It’s not like it’s an official match or anything.” The blond asked, sighing in exasperation. This was the fourth time this week the shorter boy asked him to come. He had not caved, not even once. Though, he was starting to reconsider. Yamaguchi told Kei that they were up against Nekoma, a former rival of Karasuno. Kei was lying if he said he wasn’t intrigued by the outcome.
Above that though, Kei wanted to see his best friend play in a match. Granted that it’s just a practice match, it still involves a foreign team, which indicates a new challenge for Yamaguchi and his team. Kei doesn’t really show it much but he was really looking forward to seeing how much his best friend improve. And his team by extension.
For all his bravado and snark, Kei did have a soft spot for Karasuno’s volleyball team. He would just rather die than admit it though.
Kei met them all. While he is rather embarrassed to admit it, he did form some kind of bond with them. The blond does consider them as his friends. Sort of. Maybe. He just chooses to deny it when asked or confronted about it. But he does appreciate them. Even the King and Shrimpy. At times.
He and Yamaguchi would always come home together. The shorter boy did tell him to not wait for him every day just to walk home together. He always expressed how bad he felt for making him wait but Kei insisted. His mom doesn’t come home till 9 pm, sometimes even later, because of her work. His brother moved out when he started College years ago. And his dad works abroad. So, he’s alone most of the time. He would rather wait for Yamaguchi to finish practice and walk together.
He usually works on his homework, reads a book, or listens to music while he waits. He claimed a spot under the shade of a large tree near the gym where the volleyball team practices. That routine lasted for the first 2 weeks. The third years took notice of him one day and asked what he was doing there. They then invited him to always come watch practice after learning that he was Yamaguchi’s best friend. It all started then.
Kei didn’t know why they allowed him to watch. They even invited him during after-practice meals and dinners. It was… strange. They treat him like he was a part of the team or something.
When curiosity got the better of him one day, he asked Sugawara the question that was bothering him.
“Why do you let me crash your practice every day, Suga-san? Am I not bothering you guys?”
“Don’t be silly, Tsukishima. You’re our friend, therefore a part of the team. Whether you play with the rest of us or not is irrelevant.”
So, to compensate, Kei would help Kiyoko, their manager. It was simple things like handing water bottles, helping clean up, being a scorer, and such.
That was how Kei spent the first few months of the school year. Coming with Yamaguchi to practice, going to class, eating lunch with the team, helping Kiyoko with her manager duties, insulting the freak duo, snarking with Noya and Tanaka, and walking home with his best friend.
To summarize, it was a chaotic and entertaining few months.
Now, it leads him to the current predicament. Golden Week.
Kei doesn’t really have plans for the holidays. He just planned to stay in for it, finish a book series he has been putting off, and do some advanced studying for a few of his classes. His plans were almost put to a halt when Suga and Daichi approached him last week to ask if he wanted to come with them for Golden Week, Apparently, the volleyball club has a training camp in Sendai that would last for a few days. While flustered, Kei still manage to politely reject their offer.
It was bad enough that he crashes their regular practice. Kei wasn’t about to impose himself on their training camp as well. He bothered them enough.
Now though, he’s being invited for the practice match.
“Please, Tsukki! Please come watch! I would really appreciate it if you would come to watch and support us! I’m sure the rest of the team would appreciate and love that as well!”
That is exactly what Kei didn’t want. The team making a big deal out of this.
“Look. I’ll think about it, okay?” his best friend looked like he didn’t want to drop it but he eventually did.
At practice that day, the new coach arrived. He was former coach Ukai’s grandson from what Kei heard. It took a while for Daichi to explain to the new coach that he wasn’t part of the team. That he was there as a friend. Albeit confused, Coach Ukai accepted the explanation. Though, he did express his disappointment.
“That’s too bad really. You’re tall. Like extremely tall. The team could use someone of your height. I bet with enough training and practice, you would make a great Middle Blocker. You sure you don’t play? I’m sure we can whip you into shape before the next Qualifiers.” Kei was flustered, to say the least, but he did manage to politely turn down the coach’s offer.
Hearing what the coach said sparked some pretty deep-seated memories. Ones that he was trying so hard to suppress. Some were from his days in Middle School while the others were from those long, long before. Alongside his old memories of an abandoned lot and a crowded city were sly smirks, sharp hazel eyes, hyena-like laughter, and a ridiculous bedhead.
Days passed by easily and uneventfully. As expected, under the guidance of the new Coach, Karasuno's volleyball team started training properly. Not that they weren't before. It's just that now they have actual direction, a detailed training plan, and new drill sets. Kei noticed how the members gradually developed and evolved. It surprised him how much they improved in such a short period of time. The routine Coach Ukai instilled pushed them to train harder. It probably helps that they're going to face their 'destined rivals', as the Sun Incarnate dubbed them, during the Golden Week. They are as pumped and as motivated as they could be.
'I can't believe Yams managed to convince me to get out of the house at ass o'clock in the morning on a holiday to watch a stupid practice match' the tall blonde released a resigned sigh as he trudged towards Sendai City Gym. He was grumpy, obviously. He had to get up at past 8 am that day to prepare and catch the 9 am bus to Sendai. The match was actually scheduled to start at 9 am but Kei didn't have the energy nor will to get up earlier than he did.
Judging by the swarms of texts he received not only from Yams, but also from some of the other members, it is safe to assume that the match is already underway.
From: Yamaguchi
Received at 8:40 am
Where are you, Tsukki?! The match is about to start!! I seriously hope that you're out of the house by now!!
From: Sugawara-san
Received at 8:44 am
Hey, Tsukishima! Heard from Yams that you're coming today! The team's excited to see you! Did you catch the bus?
From: Sawamura-san
Received at 8:51 am
Hello, Tsukishima. Stay safe on the trip. We'll see you later.
From: Nishinoya-san
Received at 8:55 am
YAMS SAID YOU'RE COMING?! YOU'RE LATE, YOU BEANPOLE! YOU'RE GONNA MISS MY EPIC ROLLING THUNDER!
From: Sun Incarnate
Received at 8:57 am
SALTYSHIMA! WHERE ARE YOU?! YOU'RE GONNA MISS THE MATCH!!
From: King
Received at 8:58 am
Hurry up
Thankfully, the awful tirade of texts stopped as the bus departed. Kei assumed that the match had started. He placed his headphones on, put his playlist on shuffle, and leaned his head on the glass window. He wanted to enjoy the momentary peace of the bus ride to Sendai.
Kei didn't enter the gym at once. He lingered by the gym's entrance as he watched the ends of the first set.
The blonde felt it was rude to completely enter the moment he arrived. For one thing, the gym was empty save for the teams, coaches, managers, and the two members of the neighborhood association volleyball club that joined Karasuno's practice a few days ago. So, it was extremely obvious when someone new entered the gym. Second, the first set was ongoing. He knew for a fact that the volleyball idiots would get distracted if he made his presence known. Especially with Yamaguchi, Tanaka, Nishinoya, Shrimpy, and the King playing? Kei has no doubt that they will blame it on him if they somehow lost a point because they got distracted.
So, he lingered like a ghost. His golden amber eyes naturally gravitated towards his best friend. It was Yamaguchi's second practice match with another team. He was also able to play during the one with Aoba Johsai despite being a first year. When Kei congratulated him for that, Yamaguchi was so quick to shoot him down then.
"I didn't get the spot because I earned it. I was only able to play because I'm the only middle blocker on the team." It hurt Kei to see his best friend like that. For a brief moment, Kei thought that his best friend would be discouraged.
He was surprised to see how his best friend took it to heart and practiced even harder than before. It's now clear that Yamaguchi was picked this time around because he deserved it.
Kei lets out a small smile as he witnesses his best friend one touch a strong spike from who he assumes is Nekoma's ace. It was a bit comical how the other team's ace looks and acts almost like Tanaka. Kei was grateful that the two seemed to be annoyed at one another. It would have been worse for everyone if those two got along.
Kei watched as the one touch led the ball to Tanaka's side of the court, who hit it towards the setter. The king was expecting it. Kei instantly recognized that he was preparing for the infamous freak quick. It barely touched him when he accurately set it towards the waiting Hinata who was already in the air and in a spiking position with his eyes firmly shut close. What Kei, and the rest of Karasuno, didn't expect was the awaiting single blocker who gracefully killed the freak quick in one swift move.
A perfect kill block. Kei couldn't help but admire.
It was at this time when his eyes landed on the raven blocker wearing Nekoma's no. 1 jersey. The captain. It was also this time when Kei felt his stomach drop and his heart stop.
Kei knew that he wasn't wrong. He couldn't be wrong. It has been 4 years but he could never forget him. He recognizes that unmistakable bed head and mischievous hazel eyes anywhere.
Kuroo Tetsurou, his mind supplied.
