Tsukishima waits with bated breath for Yamaguchi to look up - his friend has been waiting for a few minutes at their local park.
"Tsukki!" Yamaguchi's face breaks out into a wide grin as he takes in Tsukishima's simple black and white skirt and blouse set, paired with a soft, really soft sweater. It feels so good on him, he could cry.
Yamaguchi covers the distance between them in quick, long strides and wraps his arms around Tsukishima. He is in a full-sleeve t-shirt and a pair of jeans, Tsukishima registers. With his best friend in his arms, it's all suddenly very crystal clear to him.
Tadashi and him, they are two pods of the same pea. No matter what they do, what they wear, who they find love with, or wherever they go – at the end of the day, it comes back to them being Tadashi and Kei.
That's all Tsukishima needs to be.
He hugs back Yamaguchi a little tighter today. Gods, he's so happy, he could cry.
There had been lingering stares on the way over. They had bored into him like the noisiest drill machines – they judged the shortness of his hair, the flatness of his chest, the squareness of his shoulders, the —
Tsukishima judged the narrow alleyways of their minds. He will cry but not for them, he will cry because he let himself be.
He will also cry because his mom took one look at him and had gasped, "So pretty!"
He will cry because nobody knew why Akiteru had a strawberry hair clip on him and put it on Tsukishima's hair saying, "Now that look is complete."
He will cry because right now Yamaguchi looks torn between crying and laughing. He asks, "What's wrong?"
Yamaguchi takes his hand in his and like the goofy idiot he is, he says, "You're so cute, Tsukki. I want to pinch your cheeks."
"Shut up," he grins harder and pulls them in the general direction of the theaters. "The movie is going to start."
"They won't dare to start Jurassic Park without their precious strawberry boy!" Yamaguchi shrieks and falls in step beside him.
Tsukishima laughs as they prance down the sidewalk pulling more stares and silent tuts. But the drilling sound is just background noise.
He knows he will forget about it soon with the growing melody in his life.
Yamaguchi veers closer, his hand held tight. "Happy birthday, Tsukki."
A single tear runs down his cheek as Tsukishima smiles gratefully.
It's going to be a good birthday.
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