#tanakage

“I’m not your senpai anymore, dummy,” Tanaka said, climbing his way inside.

“What are you doing here?” Tobio asked. Tanaka rolled the stiffness out of his shoulders and grinned.

“We’re going out for ice cream,” he said. Tobio stared at him incredulously for a moment, then shook his head.

“Sorry, Senpai, I’m not really feeling up to it tonight.”

“Wasn’t asking,” Tanaka said. “I was telling. Now get some clothes on. We’re going out, whether you want to or not.” He started digging in Tobio’s dresser for a sweater and a pair of pants, which he threw in Tobio’s direction. Tobio caught them, still bewildered by Tanaka’s presence.

“I told you, I don’t feel like going out,” Tobio said.

“And I told you, I don’t care if you want to or not,” Tanaka said. “Now get dressed.”

Tobio knew it was pointless to argue, but a part of him want to anyway. Rather than fight the inevitable, though, he simply rolled his eyes and pulled the sweater over his head.

“Atta boy,” Tanaka said, grinning wider than ever. “Now let’s get going, while the night is still ours.” He waited only long enough for Tobio to tug on his pants before climbing back out through the window and scaling down the tree. Tobio followed, well-practiced from lonely nights sent sitting in the boughs of this very tree. But that was before high school, before Karasuno and friends and senpai who climbed through windows at two in the morning and demanded more of Tobio than he had once known how to give. Now, instead of climbing up and sitting in the crook where two branches met, he climbed down and followed Tanaka through the streets.

Tanaka led him to a corner store that was still open at this late hour. He walked over to the freezer in the corner and pulled out two ice cream bars, one chocolate and one blueberry, and then paused in his trek to the counter, seeming to debate with himself. He shook his head and went up to the cashier, pulling out his wallet.

“I can pay, Senpai,” Tobio said, trying to tug his own wallet out of his pocket.

“No can do, Tobio,” said Tanaka, smacking Tobio’s hand out of the air. “This is supposed to be my treat, senpai to kouhai.”

“I thought you said you weren’t my senpai,” Tobio said. Tanaka paid the cashier with a roll of his eyes.

“Close enough,” he said. “Point is, this is my gift to you, in honor of the shittiest day ever.” He handed Tobio the blueberry ice cream and reached up to ruffle his hair before walking out of the store without another word. Tobio felt warm, the way he had every time Tanaka had given him some sign of affection or other over the years. He sighed and followed him out.

He found Tanaka sitting on a curb, staring at the stars with a hand scrubbing at the back of his neck. He sat down beside him and bumped their shoulders together. “What’s up, Senpai?” he asked.

“I thought I was supposed to be comforting you,” Tanaka said, “not the other way around.”

“Maybe we can comfort each other,” Tobio said. Tanaka stared at him. Then he leaned over and kissed him.

“Sorry,” he said, darting away as though burned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry.”

“Why?” Tobio asked, pressing a hand to his lips. He could still feel the shape of Tanaka’s lips against his own, and the whisper of his breath on Tobio’s face. Tanaka buried his face in his hands and whined.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I like you. I’ve liked you for a couple of years now, and I don’t know what came over me, I just-”

“No, I mean, why are you sorry?” Tobio interrupted. “I’m not.”

“I- what?” Tanaka stammered, looking up at Tobio.

“I’m not sorry,” Tobio said with a shrug. He looked up at the stars. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you since my first year. I just figured you wouldn’t want to.”

“How can you be so casual about that?” Tanaka sputtered. Tobio shrugged again.

“It’s not like it’s a secret,” he said. “The whole team knows, according to Hinata. I figured you knew, but were just too nice to say anything.”

“Ka- Tobio, I’ve liked you for two years now,” Tanaka said, voice awed. “I thought you didn’t say anything to me because you were too nice.” Tobio smiled.

“I guess we’re both idiots, then,” he said. There was a lengthy pause where Tobio watched the stars and Tanaka watched him watch the stars. Then Tanaka chuckled under his breath and slumped into Tobio’s side, looking up at the stars as well.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I guess we are.”