Chapter Text
Tsukishima wasn’t being paranoid. He knew he wasn’t. They were watching him. All three of them. Every time he turned his head, he would see one of them staring. Oh, they would turn away as soon as Tsukishima met their gaze. Well, Akaashi would look away. Bokuto would always give him this really bright, creepy smile. And Kuroo would just stare at him challengingly with a smirk.
It was annoying.
He wanted them to stop.
“What did you do, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi whispered after they lost yet another match.
Tsukishima glanced down at his best friend. So he wasn’t the only one that noticed. “No idea. Maybe they’re all having some sort of shared hallucination.”
Yamaguchi chuckled. “I don’t think that’s it.”
“Could be.”
“I really doubt it.”
Tsukishima shot his friend a smirk as Yamaguchi smiled broadly. The smile fell quickly as the other first years eyes darted around the gym. “Seriously, though. What is going on?”
“I honestly couldn’t tell you.”
Yamaguchi’s frown increased and his eyes shot toward the three older boys once more before he sighed and turned toward their team. “Whatever you say, Tsukki. I think we’re getting ready to play against Nekoma again. We’d better go before Daichi yells.”
Tsukishima rolled his eyes and followed after his friend, ignoring the eyes he felt boring into his back. And it didn’t stop. Throughout their match with Nekoma, he could feel both Akaashi and Bokuto glancing at him multiple times from the court beside him. But Kuroo was the worst. Especially when they were right across from each other. Tsukishima felt his spine tingle every time their eyes met. He found himself purposely avoiding looking in Kuroo’s direction. Which really didn’t help them during the match.
But he wasn’t going to take full blame for the loss. It wasn’t as if they had won previously.
When the games finally ended for the day, Tsukishima found himself hesitating. He knew that the other boys were expecting him in the third gym. They were probably already waiting for him. Hinata had run off, Lev right behind him, the second their match ended. Akaashi and Bokuto, whose last match had ended shortly before theirs, had also left. That just left…
“Come on, Tsukki. Bokuto’s probably driving Akaashi crazy at this point.”
Tsukishima turned his head quickly and felt his mouth run dry as he met a familiar pair of eyes. Kuroo sent him a smirk and Tsukishima fell forward slightly as a heavy arm was thrown over his shoulders.
“Remove our arm, Kuroo-san.”
“I’d rather not.”
Tsukishima’s eye twitched. “Whether you would rather do so or not is irrelevant. Remove it before I make you do so.”
Kuroo barked out a laugh but his arm disappeared from Tsukishima’s shoulders. “You sound like Akaashi. It’s a little frightening.”
Tsukishima pushed his glasses back into position. They had slid down his nose when Kuroo jostled him. “I will take that as a compliment.”
“I’m sure you will.”
Tsukishima’s eyebrows raised. “Was it supposed to be an insult? Interesting. I wonder how Akaashi-san would feel about that.”
Kuroo’s eyebrows shot up and he let out another startled bark of laughter. “Oh, I like you. Go ahead and tell Akaashi, if you want. He knows I love him.”
Tsukishima found himself pausing at the words. He knows I love him. There were some people that used words like that without a thought. But…for some reason…it sounded as if Kuroo…
Tsukishima’s eyes flickered down toward Kuroo’s arms.
Then to Kenma’s bleached hair.
It was faded and growing out but…
It couldn’t be.
He really couldn’t be that unlucky.
“Tsukki? I was kidding before but Akaashi really might come looking for us if we leave him with Bokuto, Hinata, and Lev.” The thought of being trapped in a gym, alone, with those three made Tsukishima begin walking once more. He actually felt a bit guilty for wanting to ditch the now routine practice match. Kuroo jogged up to him and the two boys walked in silence toward the gym. As they made their way inside, Tsukishima saw Akaashi’s shoulders relax as he made his way toward them with a few quick steps.
“I was not sure if you were going to come,” Akaashi said to Tsukishima but it was Kuroo who replied.
“Ah, you know I wouldn’t leave you with these losers.”
“Losers? Who are you calling a loser?!” Bokuto demanded, jumping on Kuroo’s back. Kuroo’s knees buckled for a moment before he was able to catch his balance and his arms wound under Bokuto’s thighs as the bigger boys’ legs wrapped around Kuroo’s waist.
“Damn, Bo! You almost made me fall!”
“I knew you’d catch me!”
Akaashi sighed deeply and leaned closer to Tsukishima as Hinata and Lev both ran around Kuroo and Bokuto. “Look, I know we made you uncomfortable earlier. Thank you for coming.”
Tsukishima forced himself to stare impassively ahead. “Where else would I be?”
“Anywhere besides here,” Akaashi responded bluntly. He and Tsukishima both looked over as a loud thud echoed throughout the gym. Kuroo had finally lost his balance and he and Bokuto were both groaning from their tangled position on the ground. Akaashi let out a sigh once more and slowly walked toward the two boys. Tsukishima couldn’t repress a snort as the second year setter stood over the two and just stared down at them with an expressionless face and asked if they were finished fooling around.
“Akaaaaashi!” Bokuto whined, holding his arm up in the air. “Help!”
“You can get up on your own, Bokuto-san. Me trying to help would only be a hinderance. You’re too heavy.”
He turned and made his way toward the other side of the net, ignoring the loud whines and loud laughter from Bokuto and Kuroo at his words. Tsukishima walked past the two on the floor, also ignoring them as they began to call his own name. He watched from the corner of his eye in amusement as Hinata tried, and failed, to help Bokuto get to his feet. Lev was pulling on Kuroo’s arm as well but it was obvious the third year was letting his body go dead weight and the taller, yet lighter, boy couldn’t get Kuroo onto his feet.
“If we don’t start soon, we’ll miss dinner,” Akaashi said, almost lazily from his place across from Tsukishima.
That got the two captains on their feet instantly. Tsukishima rolled his eyes as Bokuto and Hinata ducked under the net and joined Akaashi. Tsukishima felt weight pressing down on his shoulders once more. “Your arm, Kuroo-san.”
“Is very comfortable where it is. Thank you for asking.”
Tsukishima scowled and turned quickly, causing the arm to fall from his shoulders. Kuroo pouted. “Harsh, Tsukki.”
“Are we going to play or not?”
“Yes, yes, we’ll play. Need to work on those blocks of yours, after all.”
Tsukishima’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t argue. After working with the third year for the last few days, Tsukishima was aware that his blocks could improve a great deal. And he was always happy to shut down some of Hinata’s spikes. And it was just a bonus when he could do the same to Bokuto.
Their three on three match started and Tsukishima paid close attention to the things Kuroo said and did. He stopped Bokuto’s spikes again and again. He lectured Lev on his blocking and receiving. And Tsukishima took what he said and began to use it in his own blocks. Soon, he was able to stop Bokuto’s spikes on his own, though not every time. Certainly more than he had been able to do previously.
He was improving.
He wanted to improve.
But he wasn’t sure why.
Was it because Yamaguchi had called him pathetic? Because he saw the rest of his team working day after day to get better? Because he didn’t like how it felt to lose to Aoba Johsai during the Inter-High Tournament?
Or because Bokuto said he sucked? Because Kuroo said Hinata was going to outshine him? Because he knew Akaashi secretly agreed with the two of them?
Was it just because he wanted to prove them wrong?
Or because he wanted them to change their minds?
He shook his head and jumped, the ball slamming into his hands and then down onto the floor beside Bokuto’s feet. The third year yelled out in irritation. “Nice, Tsukki. Keep that up and you’ll be able to shut this stupid owl up!”
“Kuroo! Akaashi, Kuroo’s being mean!”
“Pain in the ass, Kuroo-san.”
“Akaashi!”
“Let’s call it a night,” Akaashi continued, acting as if Kuroo hadn’t spoken. “We don’t want to miss dinner.”
Bokuto’s eyes went wide and he glanced at the clock. “Aw! Not again!” he didn’t bother to say another word, just started running out of the gym with Hinata and Lev behind him. Kuroo muttered something about “stupid owl” before jogging out after them. Tsukishima raised his eyebrows and shook his head. “They know we still have an hour before they close the kitchens, right?”
“Do you want to tell them? I’m sure they’d be willing to pay a few more rounds.”
“Pass.”