#stingyshima

You were in the same class. He sat behind you, what caused the first, in the beginning, forced interactions. You are a bit absent-minded, so, it was in order for you to forget an eraser or a pen, or even a book. He was practically forced to spare some for you. In a month, he was already holding a pen, or a pencil, before you even turned completely to face him and asked for it. To Yamaguchi's surprise, Tsuki did not mind it at all.

As the time passed, you bonded over music, and your ridiculous attempts to make him smile. You made every other day a rebus out of dinosaurs names, with some stupidly hilarious, as you thought, fact. Sometimes you misspelled some horribly long dinosaur name, but you put efforts into it and, by the end of the summer, knew the most known names by heart.

"Hey! Look what I got for you!", you smiled with the brightest smile, turning to him after the class ended.

"Ah, not again… could you just stop. This is exhausting", he started, frowning and, at the same time, holding his palm open for what you've got.

"This entertains you! You can't prove me wrong! I have spoken!", you put a small dinosaur printed paper in his hand, slightly touching his long pianist fingers, freezing for a moment, hypnotized by the gentle touch.

"Your fingers are just…wow, you know?", you blurted out, without even thinking. — "I wish I could have so delicate fingers".

"What is wrong with your fingers? Why are you even thinking of such stuff?", he spoke, not pulling his gaze from the rebus. — "You misspelled the…".

"No, I didn't", you were so proud of yourself. — "I did my homework, so, bask in my glory, you nerdy Dinodork!".

"You do understand, that it is an insult. I could probably report it, and you would get a detention", he smirked.

"Fine. Do it. I don't mind. But don't call me at midnight to share your new on repeat song, I won't answer", you pouted, —"And don't even expect me to bake you the most delicious strawberry shortcake for your birthday".

"Yeah, yeah. Come on. Daichi-san wanted you to help out today, since Yachi-san is absent", rolling his eyes at your antics, he took your bag and went through the door.

"You are one of a stingy guy", you mumbled, having no choice, but to follow him.

The next day, something was off. He felt absolutely dumbfounded, as you were quite, and, it seemed, upset with something.

The big break started, but you stayed still, unlike every other day, just looking out of the window

"Is something wrong with Y/n?", Yamaguchi was worried too.

"How could I know?".

"Well…".

"It was a rhetorical question, Yamaguchi".

"Sorry, Tsukki".

In the midst of the thought process, they saw some girl coming to you.

"Hey, Y/n. Could you share your notes? I am completely out today", she seemed to be friendly. — "Y/n! Hello! Earth is calling".

"Em… Yeah. Sorry. I was spacing out", you faintly smiled at her. — "Here".

The girl sat in front of you and started to copy your notes.

"Oh! Your notes are so neat, I envy", she giggled, then she stopped talking and took your hand, observing it for a minute, – "I don't understand why Yoshioka is bothering you about your fingers. Just look at them, they are so delicate and stunning. That is why you have so clean and cute handwriting. Don't mind her! She is just jealous or something".

That's it! That is what was bothering you for the past week, Tsukishima concluded. That is why you were talking about fingers in the first place.

"It is so lame", he thought to himself, "Your fingers are perfectly fine, you stupid", he mumbled.

"Did you say something, Tsuki?", Yamaguchi asked, chewing his launch.

"Nothing", Tsukishima answered and looked through the window, just to distract himself of sudden affection towards you.

Time passed, and it was already the end of the day.

"Y/n-san, could you help us out today too?", Yamaguchi asked you with a joy voice, as he was trying hard to cheer you up.

"I…", you wanted to say no.

"I'll even allow you to bandage my majestic fingers", Tsukishima teased you, still thinking it was stupid of you to overthink the opinion of some dumb person.

"I'll pass, your Majesty", you bit your lower lip and started to pack the bag.

He understood, that he went too far.

"Y/n. We need your help… Please", he regretted his teasing instantly.

"Fine, just could you stop picking on me, at least, for today".

"Yeah. As you wish".

With that being said, the three of you went to the gym. The whole way, Tsukishima side eyed you, thinking on the reason, why in the world, he was so patient and compliant with you.

"I'm gonna get changed", you took him out of his thinking process.

"Wh? Yeah, sure", he stumbled a bit.

Yamaguchi wanted so bad to point it out to his best friend, but spared him, chuckling to himself at how obvious his friend was.

The training was going smooth. If you could call smooth the constant bickering between Hinata and Kageyama. Tsukishima, on the other hand, was quite, unexpectedly. Not a single harsh comment towards the freaky duo or Noya.

During the pause, he asked you to help him to bandage his right hand. Politely. How could you say no.

You silently sat in front of him, took gently his hand and started to wrap his fingers with a plaster. He was observing your features and gestures.

"There is nothing wrong with your fingers", he spoke in a low tone.

"What?", you got back to your consciousness.

"Don't pretend you didn't hear", Tsukishima tried to sound blunt as usual.

"Um, thank you? Why are you bringing that up, all of a sudden?".

"I thought you didn't care about what people think. Don't disappoint me".

"Oh, wow. It is when I thought Tsukishima Kei can be compassionate. Thank you for bringing me back to reality", you furiously entangled his fingers with plaster. — "Dork!".

"Wha?! Y/n, what the heck?", he tried to catch you by the hand, but failed, as his fingers were deadly stuck.

You approached team captain with a frown on your face.

'Is everything alright, Y/n-san', Daichi asked with a concerned tone.

"Yeah, I feel a bit dizzy. Is it ok if I go home earlier?".

"Yes, sure. Do you need someone to walk you home?".

"No. No… I am not going to faint. Just a headache. Thank you for worrying", you bowed and went straight out of the gym.

It was the first call for the both of you. Someone needed to accept the growing feelings, before it would become a total mess.

You, somehow, with a helping hand of Yamaguchi, worked the plaster situation out, and, returned to your friendly-but-not-exactly-friendly relationship.

"So, what do you want for your birthday?", you asked on your way home, one week before his birthday.

"Nothing in particular. Why?".

"Hello! It'll be your birthday and I want to give you a present, that you will actually use".

"Who told you, that you will be invited?".

"I didn't say I want to invade your dinosaur lair", you hissed, pouting.

"Who said I want a gift from you?", he just couldn't stop, exploring your limits. He found it astonishingly adorable, the way you curled your lips, when you were angry. The way you furrowed the brows, trying to hold yourself and not to snap, seemed to him the most entertaining sight.

He was so in his thoughts, that he didn't notice you weren't following him. He turned to see you walking in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing?", he was forced to raise his voice.

"Why do you care? I am no one. Just keep going", you couldn't control your frustration and just gave up on trying.

"What's gotten into you?", Tsukishima was confused by the sudden change in your behavior.

"Why are you always like this? Why do you always need to be so…", you struggled with finding the appropriate word, that won't destroy your relationship completely.

"So what?".

"Never mind. If you don't want me as your friend, you can just say it. It will hurt, but no that much, as listening to your harsh comments now and then, when I feel insecure or just have a bad day. I'd better go. Don't want to tell something I will regret".

He watched your silhouette fading behind the trees.

"Who told you I want to be your friend in the first place", putting his headphones on, he walked home, cursing to himself for not being able to confess like every other guy would do.

You didn't speak to each other the whole week. Neither of you wanted even to start the conversation. Poor Yamaguchi was heartbroken to watch his friends burning the bridges.

"Tsuki, you need to do something".

"Why?".

"Because…", he took a deep breath, - "because you obviously like Y/n. So, stop ignoring it".

"Like I could do something. This tiny human being is irrationally stubborn", Tsukishima rubbed the bridge of his nose, like he had the most terrible headache.

"Well, at least, you admitted you like this stubborn tiny human being", Yamaguchi giggled, trying to console his friend.

Tsukishima got extremely lucky, as on his birthday he had an appointment and didn't go to school. He was content of not being jumped around by his teammates. The only thing he regretted were you.

He had a little birthday routine at home and went to bed, with headphones on, to read a new book. He checked his phone several times. Clicked his tongue in disappointment, that you didn't even bother to send a message. Then checked it one more time and put the book on the side table. He tried to take a nap, as nothing, even his favorite music, helped him to shake those annoying thoughts about you. He was about to beat the pillow up, when he heard the doorbell.

"Kei, could you come down for a moment, there is someone, who wants to see you", he heard his mother calling him.

His mind went blurry, and he couldn't calm down his pounding heart.

He went down and there were you.

Standing by the door, with an apologetic, a bit of sad expression, with a neatly wrapped box in your shaky hands.

A moment of silent awkwardness filled the room. He rubbed the back of his neck, not wanting to blurt out something, that will push you away even more.

"I just wanted to give you this", you couldn't bear the silence any longer, – "I bought it three months ago, so… you can throw it or sell it if you don't want it".

He observed the way you were fiddling with your perfectly fine fingers. At that very moment, he understood, that the feeling he felt, was mutual. You have never been close emotionally to any other than him, you shared some really private thoughts and worries, you accepted his antics and the most important, you made him feel happy, to the point he could be. This revelation put him at ease.

"I'm sorry".

"What?", you were taken aback by his statement.

"Stay", and he held his hand out.

You looked at him, still trying to process the new reality.

"I want my gift", he looked at you with curiosity.

"Ok", you almost squeaked.

"Pfft", he couldn't hold his laughter.

"Why are you laughing?", you wanted to punch him so badly, you came with a present, and he was laughing.

"Because you look annoyingly adorable", he took the box and turned to the stairs, – "Aren't you coming?".

"Why?".

"Don't you want to see my reaction, when I open your gift. I bet you spent hours picking out the wrap paper and days, trying to wrap it".

You bit the inner side of your cheek. He was damn right. You wanted so bad to see his reaction, and you deserved it. So, you took your boots off and went upstairs.

He followed, smiling.

You have already been in his room. This time everything felt a bit different, though.

You sat on the floor near the low table. He put the box on the table and started to unwrap it.

"Wait!", you screamed, deafening Tsukishima.

"What happened?", he was shocked, but not to the point of complaining.

"I have something", you took another box, much smaller than the one with the gift, – "I didn't feel like baking the whole strawberry shortcake. But then I felt guilty, because I promised it", you were talking too fast, but he adored it, every moment of it.

"Ouch. You broke the promise. It hurts", he even made a sad face.

"You are a dork, Kei", you blurted, not thinking, – "Oh, I am sorry, I shouldn't".

"It is fine. Just don't call me Tsukki. Please", he put his chin on the palm, looking straight into your eyes, – "So, what is in the tiny box from a tiny person?".

You stuck your tongue.

"It is a birthday cupcake. It is strawberry flavored and backed by me".

"Do you hate me that much?", he teased, and it was his turn to stick out the tongue.

"I don't hate you, you know it. It is quite the opposite", your cheeks flushed with an adorable shade of pink, "So, this is your cake with a birthday candle. We light it up, and you make a wish".

"Am I five?".

"No, you are 45, I would say. Grumpy and you certainly can't feel happiness from little things. Such a waste", you rolled your eyes at him.

"Now. Hurry up. The magic of birthday is going away with every minute you make that snarky little comments. Hurry, Kei-kun", you made your voice sound a bit cringy, yet very entertaining.

He wasn't particularly fond of candle blowing, but he didn't argue.

You were sitting in front of each other with the cupcake in the middle.

"I can wish whatever I want?", he asked.

"Yes. Anything".

"Even something selfish?".

"Well, yes, I suppose. What kind of question is that?", you quirked your eyebrow.

"Y/n, relax. I am just messing around", he smiled, and it was the sincerest one.

"Now. Shut up and wish something, that you want", you were eager to see his face, making a wish.

"You".

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Have a nice day, wherever you are!