hazel.

like, maybe it's just me, but this is so obviously tsukki trying his best to help them. like, he takes in the situation (even after however many days kags and hinata are so far away from where they need to be), he blinks. once, and then twice, and then he sighs to himself, resigning to try and help these idiots. but what's going to help them now? when it's so close to the day of their retake? he can't really do much to actually help with their study methods, it's far too late, but what he can do is reignite their motivation, by making them angry and making them want to prove tsukki wrong

he didn't insult them (just) to be a dick. no, he purposefully was trying to rile them up so that they weren't resigned or depressed going into the retake, and he even tried to give them advice (telling kags that all the answers are in the text already so he just needs to reread it if he doesn't know the answer, and telling hinata that english is just memorisation, so focus on that and don't get lost in the details), even if he doesn't give it outright. besides, i think we all know, if tsukishima gave kageyama and hinata straightforward advice they probably wouldn't follow it.

but he wanted to help them. he wanted to help them succeed. because even though they're idiots and even tho (he says) they annoy him, they are actually his friends.

talking to kids.

once a month, the team gives presentations to different schools in the city. for elementary school kids, they focus on the importance of exercise and healthy living. for junior high, it shifts to how to start their athletic career. for high school, it's all about avenues to reach the top level.

this time, though, it's an elementary school, so that means a day of rowdy kids with insensitive questions, too much sass, or not enough tact.

"i don't want to do this." kyoutani is slouched on the bench, already in uniform. tsukishima nods in agreement, similarly dressed, long legs stretched in front of him.

"come on, guys! don't you ever think you're some kid's hero?" koganegawa is enthusiastic, as always. "i always loved meeting my role models! we could really make someone's day!"

kyoutani snorts. "you think anyone would look up to us? if i were a kid, i'd be looking at div. 1 players, like ushijima, or something." tsukishima nods again. after all, it's only the best of the best that are featured on tv or at the olympics.

their cue to file into the gym comes a few minutes later. the elementary school kids, all six and seven year-olds, seated in crooked rows while their teachers stand behind them. a familiar face turns and catches his eye. "hey, tsukishima!"

"sugawara-san." he bows as his senpai steps forward to greet him. "i didn't know you would be here."

"i thought about letting you know ahead of time, but i wanted to surprise you." suga's grin hasn't lost any of its mischief, eyes gleaming with humor. "let's talk later!"

tsukishima rejoins his team, seated on the floor in a semicircle to go through their rehearsed talk about healthy living and the importance of sports. his part is a short spiel on what volleyball is, simplified for kids to understand. his audience is equal parts bored and captivated, the bored ones shifting around until a teacher tells them to stop moving.

afterwards, they break into small groups for live demonstrations. suga brings a handful of his students over, although they try to hide behind him. "you can't have to be scared," he says, nudging them forward. "he may look scary, but he won't bite. i'm his senpai, after all."

"sensei, you know him?" a girl asks.

"we went to school together. we even played on the same team." suga plucks one of the kid-friendly volleyballs and sits a few meters away, raising it over his head. "watch!"

they volley a bit back and forth, the kids watching in awe. suga catches the ball and gestures at another child. "hiro is actually a big fan of yours, tsukishima. he's one of the best volleyball players at school."

hiro tugs on his shirt, a sendai frogs jersey. it's hard to tell because his arms are covering the front, but tsukishima recognizes the number 17 behind it. "want to volley a bit with me?" he asks.

"c-can i?" comes the timid reply.

tsukishima nods, waiting until hiro gets into position before he gives a gentle toss. the kid receives it flawlessly. "very good," tsukishima praises him. hiro's smile widens, suddenly shy.

"mister!" another boy waves his hand. "how can i get taller?"

"you'll have to eat your vegetables and play sports," tsukishima says. "the more you move around, the taller you'll get."

"is playing volleyball fun?" another kid asks.

he tosses a ball lightly in his hand. "i didn't think so, for a long time. i started when i wasn't much older than any of you, mostly because of my brother. i kept going since my friend played with me, and if i didn't, my mom would send me to tutoring, and i didn't want that." tsukishima lowers the ball to the floor. "in high school, i met a lot of people who were better than me. it isn't fun playing a sport if you aren't good, but that just means you have to practice until you are. and then, when you have that moment of victory, you'll start to think that it's fun."

his mind flashes, a mosaic of faces and figures, a chorus of voices, a snapshot of bright lights, shiny medals, and framed certificates. he may not be at the top, may not represent his country at the olympics, but here, in this gym, he's at the pinnacle of these kids' heights, the doorway that leads them further.

"it's not just about volleyball," he adds. "it can be for anything. so long you do your best and do all that you can, you'll have fun."

the groups are dismissed, as they'll head to the bleachers and observe a scrimmage. tsukishima rises to his feet, pausing at the sound of his name. "that was great, tsukishima," suga says. "you have a way with kids."

"please don't tease."

"i'm not! i've done a few talks before with other community members, but they always forget how old their audience is. you were perfect." his senpai smiles at him. "good luck during the scrimmage."

it isn't meant to be long or exhaustive, just a quick demonstration of what volleyball can be like. tsukishima is up first with the serve, hand up to catch the ball. he bounces it a few times, moves back to prepare for his jump serve. he's about to do his toss when-

"ready, and-" in a chorus, suga and his kids shout, "tsukishima, nice serve!"

koganegawa whips his head toward the bleachers. "hey, that's no fair! cheer for me, too!"

kyoutani chuckles. "guess you'll have to ace it," he calls out to tsukishima.

he narrows his eyes in concentration, body low and ready. "guess i'll have to." tsukishima tosses the ball, makes his approach, and jumps. perhaps one day, those kids will be able to reach the same heights as him.

--

part 1 of kpop groups x haikyuu!!

[a/n Yes you may have seen this before, but this is our version >:) ] 

Man this is a short group of volleyball players 

A GROUP FULL OF HINATA AND NOYAS - lissa 

I cant even call them short when changbin is an inch taller than me- chloe 

bang chan - daichi

a dad™

both of them share a lot in common tbh

both are compassionate leaders 

they care a lot for their peers, hardworking, selfless

very soft and generally fun people to be around

also inviting and social people as well

as much as they are fun, they also know when it’s time to be serious

whether you know them or not, you will always highly respect them regardless

also, i feel like bang chan would be really good as a receiver

strong, trust, responsible receiver who’s got your back 

always count on the two of them to be there for you

bonus: their muscles-

Hinata freaking out because he can't find a black pen before a big test and Tsukishima wordlessly handing him two spares (in case one is almost dry) and telling him to smarten up but not actually making a big deal about it.

Yachi going over to his house to study with him and Yamaguchi and having a genuinely good time and yeah Tsukki makes fun of the bow she has in her hair but he also laughs at her jokes so... they end up playing Mario Party until like 1 am and he doesnt even complain about it.

Tsukishima showing up at Kageyama's house looking really annoyed and saying his brother is home for the holidays and is pestering him about college and the future and hey, do you want to go throw a ball around?

characters :: kageyama tobio , hinata shoyo , yamaguchi tadashi , tsukishima kei , hitoka yachi

every 2 weeks on a friday they play video games at tadashis house

bike rides which turn into tobio and shoyo racing eachother while the others trail behind them

they probably watched all 6 jurassic park movies at tsukis house

yachi attempts to teach them how to make cupcakes but they all fail miserably except tobio who is surprisingly good at baking (shoyo is extremly pissed off at this)

they all go on picnics sometimes

one time they all went to the beach and shoyo happened to sit on sea urchin at the exact time yachi was taking a video of the beach on her phone AND THEY WAY HE SCREAMED JFC. anytime shoyo gets into an argument with someone they send that video and he immediately goes offline

tsuki gave yachi a dinosaur plushie for her birthday and she keeps it on a shelf in her room

tobio has stolen things from tadashis room eg. hair ties, candy, bracelets etc

tadashi and yachi are natsus favourites. and whenever they go to shoyos house she gives them makeovers

monopoly always ends in turmoil and tears /hj

gc name is the backyardigans bc why not

shoyo is constantly spamming it with memes while tobio mostly asks abt hw, tsuki has it muted half of the time, yachi and tadashi are the only sane ones who talk there

they've had absolutely wild convos there including the argument abt whether a tomato was fruit or veg which then turned into a yachi vs shoyo rap battle

im telling u that if that gc got exposed they'd all be dead

they play roblox together change my mind

i just KNOW they play the scary games on calls sometimes and there is so much screaming, yachi and tsuki are always the best at them

Haikyuu had an incredible beginning, middle, and end. Every character and arc felt intentional and essential. And at the end of the manga there is not one character who I feel needed just that little bit more development. Sure would I have liked to see more timeskip? Absolutely. Would I KILL to see Hinata’s second and third years of highschool and the evolution of the Karasuno first year’s relationship, in a heartbeat. But I don’t feel like it was necessary.

That’s what makes Haikyuu so good, every moment felt necessary and it added to the plot. Even the dumb silly little moments where they’re just teenage boys being teenage boys. I fact that ADDS to it. So much of haikyuu’s story is about Hinata is learning and growing and improving, and it’s because he is meeting and loving and encouraging. Like how do I explain this? Hinata, to me, is a character who cares so much that it forces the people around him to care.

Especially his teammates. I’m sure there are arguments to be made for other characters, but Hinata is the HEART of Karasuno. He’s literally the one who gets their blood pumping. I MEAN COME ON IN THE NATIONALS NEKOMA V KARASUNO MATCH KENMA LITERALLY DESCRIBES THE TEAM AS A GROUP OF HINATAS WHEN THEYRE PUMPED UP. He is their energy. And in return they are his support. If Hinata is the heart then they are the rest of the body. I could give you an analogy for each one but I don’t have to because you can see it, once Hinata starts pumping up, everyone else falls into their role with ease.

He is such a perfect MC and I LOVE HIM. And I LOVE HAIKYUU. AND IM SO GLAD THAT IT DIDNT GO ON FOREVER OR END WITH HUNDREDS OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. The fate of a story is for it to end. And the purpose of a story is for it to teach. And the desire of a story is for it to create emotion. And Haikyuu did all of these things so well. I could go on and on, I’m sure as you’ve already noticed, but it’s just because I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

I genuinely recommend Haikyuu to anyone as a first anime, it’s entertaining, it’s reasonably concise, and it’s deeply moving. Haikyuu tells a good meaningful story with action and excitement and grief and despair all without ever causing any real harm. Haikyuu creates the feeling of a villain while also giving you the gift of another perspective on the court.

it was everything he ever could have wanted. it was everything he ever did want, once. once kageyama tobio wanted to fly beyond the mountains he called home and soar into distant lands. once he wanted to climb to the top of the world until he was so high up that the sun and the moon and the stars were nothing but ants compared to him. once kageyama tobio wanted to do all these things alone — except he wouldn't be, not really, because he had someone who loved him and understood him and that was enough to shoulder a dream that blazed so bright it could burn him from the inside out with a single misstep.

and then kazuyo died and everything came crashing down like a satellite falling out of orbit, and the only thing tobio really wanted then was to heal from a heart full of broken glass.

at nineteen, he joins the national team. at nineteen, he plays at the olympics in brazil. at nineteen, kageyama tobio has everything he ever could have wanted, has everything he ever did want, once, but -

Daichi Sawamura: good luck charms, front row seats at his games, the mature couple; “mom and dad” of the friend group; saying “goodnight” to one another on your doorstep, sentimental captions on their instagram posts, eating dinner and talking about your day like you’re already married; making plans for the future with one another involved; impressing one another’s parents; the thrill of doing everything together; being each others emergency contact; sleeping so well because your love is reliable and stable. You two are the timeless high school sweethearts, making the unattainable look so easy.

Sugawara Koushi: cafe dates, doting words, “sweetheart” and “darling,” laughing just from looking at one another. The secretly chaotic couple, perfectly curated dates, being approved by all his friends, soft, sweet pecks; random flower bouquets on your doorstep; kissing away your tears; hugs warmer than fresh baked cookies, grading student papers over dinner, smiley face post-it notes in your bento boxes, farmers market dates, always, always knowing each other’s favorite things; thoughtful gifts, mistakenly being called “Sugawara-san” before you’re married, shy smiles, kissing his beauty mark, a relationship as easy as the breeze. You two are like bees and flowers, working in tandem to create something natural and sweet.    

Nishinoya Yuu: cutting class to hang out in the hallways, popsicles melting in the summer heat, tongues dyed red and blue from convenience store slushies, dinner dates with no leftovers, neon colored band-aids, learning to hop a fence, scuffed sneakers, bruised arms. The lawless couple, squad posing in couple pictures, matching dyed streaks, sneaking out past midnight, pulling pranks, sitting on the swingset in the middle of the night, counting the stars over head. Adoring stares, “I’m so proud of you!”, kissing his bruises, screaming out the window of your car on a road trip. Traveling the world together, video messages, blowing kisses to each other, saying “I missed you!” after one day apart. You two are twin stars, constantly orbiting each other and burning brighter, together.

Tanaka Ryuunoske: shaving his head, mini skirts, being Saeko’s favorite, troublesome trio antics, late night food runs, horror movie marathons, couple gym workouts. The unexpected couple; getting compliments from the eldery on how cute you two are, flipping off his teammates while you kiss in front of them, excessive worrying, scaring off any boys that look at your wrong, the “Will Smith gesturing to his Wife” meme; thinking you’re too good for this world, calling each other “bro” romantically, kissing him after winning games, placing a beanie over his head in the winter, taking unflattering photos of one another with the most sincere captions. You two are the moth and the flame, drawn together by an inexplicable pull. 

Tsukishima Kei: Wool overcoats, headphone splitters, dogeared textbook pages, study dates, strawberry desserts, “This song reminded me of you.” The better than you couple, wearing his t-shirt to sleep, borrowing each others sweaters, kissing his bruised fingers, hiding in his jackets, going to the same university, softly singing in long car rides, always slightly touching one another, quick, secret kisses, height difference jokes, moon-centric nicknames (“moonbeam,” or “moonshine”) trying on his glasses, mirror selfies,sharing record collections, concert dates; weekend dinners at Tsukishima’s childhood house, being adorded by his teammates, dinosaur themed gifts as a joke, Studio Ghibli movie marathons, listen parties as dates, opening up to one another, “quit staring at me” “but I love you;” him constantly smiling when you’re next to him and denying it ever happened. Sharing insults as a love language, being soft when the time comes, humming into his hair as you fall asleep together. You two are a sweet, slow ballad; a duet between lovers in perfect harmony. 

Akaashi Keiji: library dates, meet cutes, book recommendations, fancy dinner dates, proofreading each other’s work, cuffed trousers, trench coats, french perfume, dainty jewellery, knuckle kisses, the academic couple; good grades, pet names, longing glances, visiting each other’s jobs, sharing clothing, reading books over his shoulders, cocooning in linen blankets, the scent of fresh laundry and lavender, running your hand through one another’s hair, smoothing wrinkles out of his works shirts, working around each other in the bathroom in the morning; matching schedules, museum dates, “you’re the Romeo to my Juliet.” “please don’t die for me.” Literature references, letting Bokuto third wheel, being the smartest couple in the room, massaging one another’s shoulders after long days, words of affirmation, sitting on top of his desk, smiling as he edits another page; “are you coming to bed?” ‘quick, secret smiles. You two are matching portraits in a museum, your love equally as timeless and beautiful. 

Oikawa Tooru: alien bandaids, golden hour selfies, matching skin care routines, wrapping his bandages, phone calls to remind him of things, leaning his head on your shoulder, the king and queen couple; listening to each others insecurities, being his biggest cheerleader, holding your face like it’s the whole world, helping him learn spanish, constantly bragging about one another, stupid nicknames in each other’s phones,  “~Iwa-chan!~”, the Seijoh team rolling their eyes at your PDA, threats from Iwaizumi, making promises you intend to keep, being his rock, letting him cry if he needs to, petty rants, keeping nail files in your purse, knowing the real him, framed couple pictures, teasing him with the team; “I have faith in you;” being there when each other needs it. You two are beloved monarchs, ruling your domain hand in hand with benevolent smiles. 

Kuroo Tetsuro: matching leather jackets, red lipstick kisses, theater hopping, chemistry puns, trying (and failing) to get rid of his bed head, constantly handsy, late night drives, cram sessions, lipstick smudges on his neck, “I’m always this kind,” Yamamoto crying in the distance, “Kenma, love us!”, being double trouble, the power couple; better grades together, singing off key, ugly couple photos, sleeping on the train, awful, cackling laughter, adored by his grandparents, stroking your hair as you fall asleep curled onto a too small couch; making it work no matter what, your eyes shining with pride at all his games. Being on the same wavelength, adoring stares while brushing your teeth, kissing him by his tie, making out in the back of taxis, pulling him into a well needed hug without thinking, playing with your food, whispering ‘I love you’ into the crown of your head. You two are immortal lovers, reunited in this life, and all those after. 

Osamu Miya: late night diner runs, lazy mornings in, being business partners, staying up late drafting new menu items, slow dancing in the kitchen, all you can eat buffets, roses before every date, subtle pda; the domestic couple; matching outfits, holding hands with intertwined fingers, clutching your chests with heavy laughter from each other’s jokes, eating half each other’s plates on dinner dates; devouring ice cream by the tub while bingeing television shows, treating grocery store runs like dates, falling asleep to his heartbeat, comfortable silences, long talks while washing dishes, baking cookies at ungodly hours, hanging onto one another’s arms, sneaking away from parties to be alone, tracing patterns on one another’s skin, whispering “I love you” when the other isn’t listening, temple kisses, side hugs, growing into one another, cooking food as a love language, having immense pride for the one another. You two are best friends, falling in love with each other over and over again every day.

➼ ft. hinata, sugawara, bokuto, osamu+atsumu.

➼ playlist. talk too much - coin, higher - banks, romanticism - mrs green apple, me and my friends - james vincent mcmorrow

➼ a/n. these have light bff2l undertones hhn i love that trope, pls forgive me. </3 + there’s some timeskip spoilers for atsumu & osamu’s part.

❀ hinata :-

i wish the childhood best friends trope a very good evening.

no one’s better than hinata at making friends, even if you met after he spiked a ball into your face. you’re childhood best friends too !! so imagine being a child and having to pick up this goofball by the scruff, who has the audacity to ask you to play with him after giving you a scratched up forehead and teary eyes from a ball to the face. but, like, you were the one who said yes so it’s on you :-)

sometimes you bicker but it’s ok bc he would literally go to the ends of the earth for you if you asked. no kidding. he hates sitting still anyway so he’ll just gravitate towards where you are like you’re the sun. also gets you taiyaki in the evenings but climbs in through your window instead of using the front door like a normal person. (he has too much energy </3) if you hear someone yelling your name outside your window and ranting about volleyball games, you know who it is.

ok when he makes you mad with his bullheadedness, you’ll be complaining with kageyama (who agrees vehemently) and hinata gets pissy bc you get along a little too well when you’re throwing insults about him. (he’s not jealous, no, of course not.) but.. how long can you stay mad at this sunshine child anyway?? you’ll be pretending you never got mad at all within a few hours and go back to joking around.

he gets distracted if you’re watching a match sometimes (bokuto somehow got it into his head that he needs to show off in front of you) so you got banned from watching. he overcomes it later on so you can cheer him on in his jersey too <3

gives you ALL his attention when you talk or even complain about your life. he reacts a lot to whatever you have to say so you have to pretend there aren’t people behind you glaring at hinata for having the same decibel sound level as a jet engine.

you have matching keychains you bought at a local fair !!! (you got a pochacco one for hinata but it’s super worn out by now so he keeps it in his wallet instead.) 

he has not won a single multiplayer video game against you (*cough cough* mario kart *cough*) and you don’t even have to be good at it. if you call him a loser, he’ll lose even harder. gets unnecessarily mad at just dance and you have to calm him down.

… you’ve probably kissed bc the two of you (mostly him) were too eager for a first kiss and you got fed up with his pubescent ramblings and ended up kissing him. and then had an early mid-life crisis bc you guys are definitely just friends. (unless.. unless he doesn’t think that way.. surprise surprise 😳) also he’s.. kind of bad for make out practice… it’s like kissing a month old puppy.. sorry :/. if you happen to make a lot of offhand comments and tease him about his kissing skills, he WILL turn tomato red and argue in gibberish. only do that in private bc the rest of the world thinks you’re sickeningly cute together >:(

overall, your best friend is a ball of sunshine (who occasionally pisses you off) and your #1 motivation to get out of bed. it’s mostly bc he’s somehow there to get you out of bed though you’ve repeatedly told him to not climb in through your window. at least the sun is smiling upon you every day <3

reon, the love of my life

i actually think he really likes comforting cozy slice-of-life sim games, like stardew valley and animal crossing and such

okay this is the part where i retcon the entire haikyuu timeline bc i really like the idea of everyone piling into reon's and tendou's dorm and watching reon game on a switch

or just like. gathering in the common area and squishing onto the couch or whatever while reon roams his island collecting fruits and bugs or whatever

(these games are the only sense of peace and stability reon gets at this goddamn school)

anyways it's funny bc tendou screams every time reon runs into a wasp's nest and yells "RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN" until reon either gets stung or successfully evades them

admittedly i do think the ds and gameboy are sacred and, for the sake of nostalgia, are definitely used to play pokemon (of which everyone has a favorite gen and get into endless arguments about it)

tendou DOES teach goshiki how to pirate shit and get ROM hacks and emulators and such tho

reon and semi are the most popular members out of the third years btw

they're both polite and calm and generally nice and don't have an RBF that makes people nervous

too many people keep trying to fight yamagata just bc they think he's glaring at them and he is SO tired

yamagata (slightly inspired by my own recent purchase) decides to get a phone charm to see if it'll help him keep track of his phone btw

he mentions this idea to semi who mentions it to reon who mentions it to tendou who blabs to the whole team. and guess what? everyone gets the absolutely brilliant idea of gifting yamagata a phone charm!!!

so now he has like a dozen different ones. and he's STILL losing his goddamn phone, so now his convos are like "have you seen my phone? yeah right now it's got a little phone charm hanging off of it, so just keep an eye out for that. what does the charm look like? oh i meant it's a charm that is literally a phone. of course it was tendou, who else do you think it was"

tendou has also taken to putting stickers on yamagata in an attempt to make him "less scary". sometimes yamagata knows about it. sometimes he doesn't.

kawanishi: "yamagata-san, pardon me for asking, but why do you have one-punch man on your butt" yamagata: "i have what now"

tendou meets someone he can talk to manga about online in some fandom/community forum or whatever and he is absolutely BETRAYED to find out that it's akagi michinari of inarizaki

okay not really but he is SUPER dramatic about it and keeps going on and on to akagi about how he can't be caught fraternizing with the enemy

akagi is just like "yeah yeah now are we going to talk about the complexities of yoru being both a victim and a perpetrator and his inevitable redemption arc or what"

(GO READ GOKURAKUGAI I AM BEGGING)

aran is still scared of tendou btw. like he won't outright admit it but he's still not over the time tendou yelled that he was going to piss in his pants from all the way across the court.

when akagi tells him they've become friends aran is like "are you SURE about that"

also i know tendou gets pissed off at suna. but i think it'd be REALLY funny if suna got pissed off at kawanishi

something something "he should be more sure of himself, he'll never stop aran-san like that" something something "and i thought i was a sarcastic little bitch" something something "no i DON'T think he's cute what the fuck are you on about"

(i didn't mean for it to go that way when i started typing it but i DO think it'd be an absolutely hilarious development)

i htink kawanishi and shirabu go on a lot of study dates, holing up at coffeeshops and boba cafes with their backpacks and notebooks and spending hours on homework and studying

shirabu worked his ass off to get into shiratorizawa and he intends to keep it that way!! he's a model student. probably even the top of their year. everyone knows him as the high-achiever.

kawanishi is there to make sure shirabu doesn't get lost inside his head and gets him take breaks and makes sure he doesn't get sucked into the endless soulless spiral of academic rigor at an elite private high school

basically: shirabu's consistently on the path to burnout and kawanishi is there to keep the flames alive

(hey that would be a good fic summary)

maybe that's another thing, then, that helps kawanishi and suna become friends. because suna's been there. suna knows, sometimes, that feeling of imposter syndrome. feeling like you don't belong. feeling like you have to prove your worth, your entire existence, just to be able to stay in a place you love, even if that place might not love you back.

and kawanishi knows shirabu would rather shove a volleyball down his throat than open up about the bad days and the bad feelings, so he picks suna's brain instead to find out how he can help. what he can do. what shirabu might be thinking and how kawanishi can fix it

you can't, suna tells him, you can't fix something like this. he has to learn to live with it. to grow around it. to believe in something better until it's the only thing he believes in. but having people you care about care about you helps. it did for me.

It was awkward at first, as both of them were shy and didn’t seem to have much in common other than the high school training camps. But gradually, they realized they were quite similar: quiet on the outside but with a passion and fire deep down.

They both loved to read—despite Kiyoko studying business, she was quite knowledgeable about classic literature and the latest bestsellers. They bonded over their love of poetry and music and art history.

They also shared some… bad habits as well. Both drank excessive amounts of caffeine, and neither could hold their liquor very well. They’d go out together expecting to just grab a couple of cocktails at a swanky jazz joint... but would eventually end up at a nightclub, drinking and dancing until 2am.

People often thought they were dating, watching as these two very attractive people made their way through campus attached at the hip. But of course they weren’t.

Keiji, a gay disaster who had been dating Bokuto since the older boy’s high school graduation?

Kiyoko, who had gradually fallen for her underclassman and was trying to find the right time to confess?

No, they weren’t together. Of course not. But their friendship ran deep. By the time Keiji graduated from university, he considered Kiyoko one of his best friends. Which is why, despite living in different prefectures in their mid-20s, they made an effort to meet up when they could. Sometimes for double dates with Bokuto and Tanaka.

Imagine the four of them together: two dark-haired beauties with their energetic lovable boyfriends! Bokuto and Tanaka would always have a blast when they hung out, and they too became closer thanks to their partner’s friendship.

Sometimes they would fall silent, just basking in Keiji and Kiyoko’s beauty as the two sat there, side by side, engrossed in a conversation about some novel or something.

“My fragile bi heart can’t take this,” Bokuto would joke, and Tanaka would just nod.

“Listen I’m pretty sure I’m straight but even I have to agree, dude. Akaashi’s a good looking guy.”

Bokuto laughed. “This wouldn’t be the first time his boyfriend had someone questioning their sexuality!” 😅

//

a sob echos through the corridor before Regulus coveres his mouth forcefully, muffling the sounds.

Regulus was not going to cry, he did not deserve to cry.

there's a shimmer of silver under the faint torch lights before he feels someone wordlessly settle down next to him. all it takes then is the arm carefully pulling him into warm chest before the tears start flowing.

"why does it hurt so much?" he says between harsh breaths, fingers clinging onto soft cotton like he hasn't in so long, "make it stop hurting. please."

"its okay, i got you," fingers rub across his back, stroking his hair as he buries his face further into the solid chest, just letting himself be held, "you'll be alright. i'm right here."

"i... i love him."

and he hasn't even had the courage to think the words in his head much less say it out loud. but all of that doesnt matter now because his brother is here, with him.

he came to find Regulus in the middle of the night and he's holding him like he used to after a nightmare or a punishment when he doesnt have to, when he could just as easily have stayed back with his bestfriend.

He went to diagon alley, James found him there, sleeping in the alley by his favorite quidditch store.

Euphemia and Fleamont were talking to the Weasley's, outside of Gringotts when James showed up with a poor and sick looking Sirius who looked like he hadn't been fed in days, which may have been entirely possible.

Sirius didn't believe it. the Potters would let him live with them, for however long he needed or wanted? Without payment? Everything costs money though??

He waited anxiously for the switch as soon as they were out of earshot to complain and criticize "three kids already AND another on the way" instead it was "Molly truly glows, she's made to be a mother!" Maybe he'd know what they really thought of the Weasley's once they were home?

He waited with anxiety to be told how unkempt and horrible he looked.

Effie didn't scold him. he got a hearty meal before a bath and a nap in Jame's room. Just for now "She'd make up a bed for him for tonight."

Sirius waited or them to get mad that when he was more comfortable sharing the room with James, after she'd gone through all that work to prepare a room for him, ready before he even woke from the sorely needed map.

Waited for the switch of personalities as soon as they're no longer in public

Waited for the anger that would surface as soon as they were home

For them to blame him

How could they be happy all the time?? Surely it was an act. Surely they'd stop acting like they're ok with him staying after a day. After two days? After a week? After he messed up? After he broke something? After he was too loud? After a month? How long were they gonna keep the act going?

Even when Fleamont was overworked and late for supper he wouldn't come in yelling and slamming doors, insisting everyone was far too loud. He'd tiredly smile as Euphemia warmed the food she set aside for him and she'd come over with the plate and a soft kiss.

Even when Sirius caused a mess carrying dishes to the sink and the bread was burnt and the dishes piled up and the laundry getting rained on out on the lines Euphemia smiled and they had dinosaur shaped burnt-scraped-off bread for dinner with jam from a jar that had a broken edge.

Even when James grumbled about being made to do chores and a splinter in his finger swelled, he smiled and joked around.

The Potters were happy?? They didn't fake everything for the public eye??

Euphemia didn't tell James to "remember who he represents" she reminded James to be careful and to take a coat, just in case

Euphemia reminded Sirius that he should take a coat too, James had an extra one Sirius could have.

Dishes and meal cleanup weren't a punishment. everyone chipped in. Fleamont started the dishes while James cleared the table and Euphemia put the extra food in containers "we should visit the Longbottoms with a casserole." "Indeed, I quite enjoyed the one with the cheese you made last week, I'm certain they'd enjoy that one" "but only if you put some of that special sauce on top too, Ma." Easy, casual conversation??

They all went to sit together in the living room after dinner and they didn't all just go separate ways on their own. Checkers? Newspaper? Sewing? They did it alone but together but in the same room.

Fleamont asked for his opinion.

Euphemia asked for his help, even after he made a mess, last time.

James wanted to spend every earthly moment with him, it didn't matter what they were doing, just as long as we're together.

All three told him they were happy they got to spend time with him, even if the reasons for him being there were sad.

They let James keep the kitten he found, at least till they found the owner.

Euphemia praised Sirius' singing, whether French classical or David Bowie.

He got to help decorate for Christmas this year. The hundreds of random and uncoordinated ornaments that each had a story. The year Fleamont and Euphemia started dating, and how this chip was because she threw it at him during one fight, but they laugh about that story now. James' first Christmas, he had the poofiest hair as a baby.

James got to fly his broom inside to hang the garlands and tinsel from room to room. James trying to hide the mistletoe, and smiling when he failed.

Sirius hadn't wanted to get married, before. He didn't want a marriage like his parents.

Sirius wanted to love like the Potter's, to laugh every morning with his best friend. To keep mistletoe in his pocket for nearly a whole month, just to see his partner's smile every time.

Sirius hopes he and someone special can love each other the way Euphemia and Fleamont love each other.

He wants to be like the Potters.