#tsukishima fluff

Chapter 5

Tags: Tsukishima x fem reader, enemies/rivals to lovers, instigator x instigator, lowkey tsundere x tsundere, partly smau but mainly written, slow burn, stereotypical ‘girly’ interests

Warnings: some swearing, please tell me if I missed something

Currently ongoing

2.1k words

What happens when two seemingly polar opposites are put right beside each other in class? Reader is a talkative girl with a smart mouth. Despite her quick words, she loves romance. Tsukishima is….himself. When they’re assigned seats next to each other, will they get along?

Y/n’s POV

This week felt like it took a million years to pass. With Stingeyshima beside me in my classes, it felt even worse. Finally, though, it’s Sunday. Now I get to surround myself with my friends! I sigh dreamily at the thought, pulling myself out of bed. After I get ready I need to go to the craft store to pick some things up. I’m meeting the rest of the girls there too.

Once I’m dressed for the day, I go downstairs to see my brother and his friends already there. “Where’s mom and dad?” Kenji glances up briefly from the game he’s playing with his friends. “They’re running some errands. They left earlier this morning when I got up.” I hum softly and head to the kitchen. Their game ended and Kenji led them to the table. “You know, you’re like the best sister ever. Have I told you that recently? If I haven’t, I should do it more often because you’re sooo great.” I notice him elbowing his friends and whisper something to them. His best friend- Ritsu Sasaki- chimes in too. “Yeah, you’re always so nice, kind, and caring.” “Do you guys want something?” Kenji beams at that, “Just breakfast. Please! You’re so good at cooking and mom and dad haven’t taught me yet.” I tilt my head slightly, acting as if I’m thinking it through. “Hmm, okay.”

“This is not what I meant by the way.” I laugh slightly as I glance over at Kenji. I had pulled some old aprons I had from when I was way more into baking and everyone thought that was a perfect gift. Right now, I have him and his 3 friends in the aprons helping me cook. “What, do you think I’m your maid or something? This is a good learning moment for all of you.” I instruct one of his friends with a buzz cut to get my ingredients out. “No offense (Y/n)-san, but how is this helpful?” Sasaki is getting more and more like Kenji. At first he was more quiet, but I guess he’s been around so long that he’s grown more comfortable. “You’re not going to be a lazy bum in the future. Not if I can help it, at least.”

We make soufflé pancakes, and everyone seems pleased with their work. The group talks about whatever is happening at their school right now while I finish up my pancake. I check the time after drying my plate off. “Don’t do anything stupid while no one is here. I’m heading to that one cute craft store, and Aika’s house, so I won’t be too far away.” I grab my purse and check to make sure I have my wallet, phone, and keys. “Yeah, yeah. We’re not dumb. We’ll be inside playing video games until mom and dad come back home.” “Mkay, bye!” “Bye!” They all wave bye and I do too.

Afterwards, I head out of the house and jog to the store. Aika’s probably already there, I bet. She’s so punctual. Then again, it could be because she got her brother to drop her off.

I arrive at the same time as Kimura and Mizuno. Aika gets up from the bench she was sitting on and walks closer to us. “I’m so glad you guys are here now! I was scared I’d get charged with loitering.” “Haven’t you only been here for like, 3 minutes before us?” Kimura tilts her head slightly. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail. Aika twists one of her curls around her finger a little nervously. “Yeah, but some older couple gave me a dirty look.”

We wait a few minutes when we see Miruka and Miori walk our way. They both wave with a grin when they see us. “Hey!” “Did we keep you guys long?” We head inside as we make small talk and we all grab a shopping basket. “What do you guys plan on making?” I ask, looking at a wheel of lace before adding it to my cart. “Definitely some hair accessories. They save so many bad hair days,” Aika says, grabbing some headbands. “Oooh that’s a good idea. I’m making keychains for my bag,” Kimura adds.

Once we’re done, we head to the checkout. We ring up our items and bag them. Afterwards, we head back outside. “Wait! I told my brother to pick us up after we were done. I texted him in the store, so he should be here any minute now.” Aika placed her arm out while she was talking to stop us from walking. Soon enough, an SUV pulls up to the store and Aika’s brother- Sakuto- rolls down the window. “Get in losers, we’re going shopping.” “Sakuto, you’re not Regina George.” Aika sighs while opening the doors for us. “Ugh! Do you know what everyone says about you? They say that you’re a homeschooled jungle freak, that’s a less hot version of me!” “I should’ve never shown you that movie.” “Aika, I would’ve watched it regardless, no matter if you showed it to me or not.” He makes sure we’re all buckled before pulling off.

Aika and Sakuto look very much like each other, and their mom. They both have curly hair and light brown skin. Plus, they have matching moles on their right cheek. “Aika, you’re using me as your personal limo service, you know?” “Thanks for that, by the way.” He turns on the radio to some rock station. “Sakuto-kun! This music stinks!” Miori wails from the back, clamping her ears shut. He turns up the music more. “Huh? I can’t hear you over my music!” The rest of the ride is pretty peaceful and filled with small talk.

We got to Aika’s house and headed straight to her room. Her room is ocean themed and it’s so cute! She has jellyfish decorations around the room and led lights. “My sewing machine is on that desk.” She sets down her bags and plops down on the floor. We all lay down around her and get to work. Someone plays ‘Perfect Night’ by Le Sserafim. Everything is so perfect, especially after how the school week went.

The conversation is relatively light as we work on our crafts. We’ve all just been laughing and showing our work to each other. Mizuno and Kimura are whispering something to each other. I’m glad they’re not completely alone. It’d suck to have to third wheel a friend group. “If I tell you guys something, would you tell anyone?” Mizuno speaks up and sets her current bracelet aside. “I mean, as long as you didn’t murder someone without a reason. Or cheat on someone.” Miruka says, setting her work aside too. “No, nothing like that. It’s just…do you guys know Okuno? In class 1-5?” We shake our heads no. “Oh, well I like him, since like, my 2nd year in middle school. I hope this year he finally asks me out.” There’s a chorus of affirmation as the conversation switches to love.

“Do any of you guys have a crush?” Aika immediately averts her gaze and flushes at the question. Miori grabs her shoulder lightly and shakes it. “Oh, now you have to tell us!” “Please, I don’t want to even say I like someone yet. I just think he’s cute. Besides, we barely know each other, so it’d be kinda shallow if I said I had a crush on him.” Miruka nods while stroking her imaginary beard. “So wise, Aika.” Kimura switches her gaze to me. “You know, you and your seat mate would look so cute together.” Miori is quick to sneer. She looks at Kimura with disgust. “Seriously?! Tsukishima is such a jerk! My precious (Y/n) and him would NEVER be compatible!” She sticks out her tongue and points at it to make a point. Miruka shifts slightly with a sly grin. “I don’t know, to me it sounds like enemies to lovers.”

Mizuno tilts her head to the left. “Miruka san, are you an otaku?” Miruka scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Me? An otaku? Never! That’s such a nerdy thing to do.” Most of the girls nod in agreement. I fall back from the conversation. I can never tell them that I read shojo manga. They’d think I was a total geek! Miori already says that because I’m in an advanced class, but telling them I’m kind of an otaku would be the cherry on top.

“Anyways, though, you and Tsukishima are going to fall in love. I’m calling it now.” Miruka redirects the conversation back to me. “I’d rather die alone than even think about Tsukishima in a positive light. The only good thing about him is his friend Yamaguchi.” Miruka hums in a knowing manner. “Tonight I’m going to write it down in my journal.” My head snaps to her direction. “No, don’t!” Mizuno and Kimura look at each other with furrowed eyebrows and slightly frowns before turning to us. “What’s wrong with her journal?” “Almost everything she writes in there comes true.” Aika says, looking a little nervous and scared. “It’s cause my sister is a witch!” Miruka hits Miori in the head with a pillow.

Afterwards, everything is fine. We all talk about regular things, and my alleged love life is swept under a rug. I prop my head in my hands.“What clubs are you guys joining?” “So glad you asked.” Miruka shuffles through her work and holds up a poster. “I’m running for class president.” She passes out election pins. “Make sure to vote for me.” I smile and pin it to my shirt. “I’m taking photography. My scrapbook will be so full by the end of the year!” Aika fiddles with some paper, making an origami swan. “I’m doing choir. I heard Okuno is taking it too, so hopefully we’ll be together!” “I’ll do track. I don’t think I’ll cut my hair, though.” Kimura brings her ponytail to the front and plays with it. “Obviously volleyball.” Miori shrugs while finalizing a bracelet. “I’m going to do cheerleading again.” “Lucky, the outfits are so cute.” I smile slightly. “I know. It’s my second favorite part after the actual cheering.”

Eventually, we all pack up and leave. We say bye to Aika who walks us out until we split up. As I walk alone, I slip in my headphones. I already finished the first part of the romance audio book I got, so now I’m on part two. I get to chapter 2 when I get home. I can hear noise coming from the back, so I skip off my headphones and head to the backyard. There, my brother and his friends are playing volleyball. Kenji and Ritsu see me and wave me over. “(Y/n) san, you should be the referee.” I walk over and set my bag in a chair. “What am I even supposed to do?” They show me the poses for refereeing, and that’s what I’m stuck doing.

Two of the friends leave early, but Ritsu stays. I’m heading to my room when I glance back to see the two following me. “What do you two want?” “Sister dearest, we just want to hear the tea from girls day.” Kenji clasps his hands together and smiles. “Yes, tell us what’s happening girlfriend.” Ritsu shakes his hair. “Uh, no.” I go into my room and shut the door behind me. Once I’m out of my clothes and into pajamas, I open it again to see those two still standing out there. “I have the slideshow for how to get a boyfriend.” And Kenji looks so serious saying this. “….Just hurry your ass and get in.” I open the door for them and they skip in giggling.

The rest of the night I spent talking. Who knew talking to your little brother and his best friend could be so rewarding? They’re actually kind of funny when they’re not being too stupid. Maybe it’s his other friends who are the weird ones. It gets late though, so I kick them out to read Nana. “(Y/n)! We didn’t even go over the slideshow!” “Yeah! You need it!” I push them out and shut my door behind them. I lay down in my bed and grab Nana off of my bedside table. I could get used to this.

*Haikyuu does not belong to me, it belongs to Furudate.*

*please don’t copy my work or translate it to ai.*

Tsukishima x reader ✮ 607 words

Summary: Tsukishima has never been good with words, luckily you two have a secret language.

Fluff ✮ established relationship ✮ might be ooc but its not in my mind so shhhhh ✮ I LOVE HIMMMUUHHHHHHH

˙⋆✮

It was no wonder Tsukishima wanted to keep your relationship private. You've seen the people he hangs out with.

With the likes of Tanaka, Nishinoya and Hinata around, the entire school would know all your business before the end of the day. So for the time being, you two are just 'very close friends'

But Tsukishima knows you worry.

He knows you get in your own head about his lack of affection during class hours. He knows you convince yourself it's for reasons other than saving his dignity from his loud mouth volleyball team. And so, hes discovered a way to quell your worries that will go straight over his teams hollow heads.

Drowning in the noise pollution of Karasunos cafeteria, you and your friends settle at your usual table clutching plastic lunch trays. The trivial talk swims around you, not yet close enough to register since your attention is elsewhere.

Karasunos boys volley ball club clutters round a distant table, each voice booming louder than the other. Kageyama wrestles Hinata for his meat bun, Tanaka and Noya sit scheming for reasons you decide you don't want to know, Asahi looks like he may just pass out.

And through it all, he sits like a lighthouse engulfed in a storm, tall and calm. Tsukishima drowns out the noise like its second nature, because at this point, it is. He focuses on his food, the quiet ramble of whatever Yamaguchi has to say to him today, the feeling of the chopsticks between his fingers, the thought of seeing you again later.

There you are again, infiltrating his mind like a stubborn weed.

His eyes scan the chaos, landing on your table to meet yours.

The comfort that you had been thinking the same as him makes his heart swell, although he'd never say it. Tsukishima never has been good with words, so instead he sends you the same message hes been sending you for the past year.

Setting his chopsticks down against his tray, Tsukki hovers his hand over the table.

He taps lightly, one, two, three, eyes never leaving yours as a soft smile creeps onto both your faces.

Because you know what that means.

And maybe it sucks that he cant say it at school, but deep down you know he means it, he always has.

*tap*

I

*tap*

Love

*tap*

You.

˙⋆✮

Years later you find yourself curled up on your plush sofa. Mug in hand, tea swirling in lazy circles as a warm blanket laps at your waist.

It was late, too late really.

He had told you to go to bed, to not wait up for him as his game was going to run far into the night. He also knew you wouldn't listen.

So now you sit, eyes glued to the glaring TV with a proud smile on your face as the Sendai Frogs celebrate another win.

The interviews commence a short time after though they don't interest you much, you're only watching for one reason anyway.

And there he is, your reason. Blonde hair sticking to his forehead as he shines a breathless smile at the camera, so faint few would notice.

His eyes hit the lens, he knows you're still up. Awake even after his pleas to get some rest. But a selfish part of his heart wouldn't have it any other way.

After a while, when all the question and praise have commenced and Tsukishima is about to take his leave, his adoring eyes catch the camera one more time.

He raises his waterbottle in frame and taps his fingers against the cool plastic, three slow times.

*tap*

I

*tap*

Love

*tap*

You.

˙⋆✮

Divider credits: @/honeyluvsw

art credit: @hunnismokah

m.list

boyfriend!tsukishima who pretends he’s too cool to care about your outfit but secretly memorizes every single thing you wear so he can buy you a matching accessory for your birthday.

boyfriend!tsukishima who sighs dramatically when you ask for a hug, calling you "annoying" and "clingy," yet he’s already opening his arms and leaning down to make it easier for you to reach him.

boyfriend!tsukishima who listens to his music with only one earbud in whenever you’re around, just in case you say something he doesn’t want to miss.

boyfriend!tsukishima who uses his height to tease you, holding your phone or your favorite snack just out of reach until you pouts, then immediately giving it back with a tiny, triumphant smirk.

boyfriend!tsukishima who gets incredibly protective during away games, standing right behind you in the crowd and placing a firm hand on your shoulder to let everyone know exactly who you belong to.

boyfriend!tsukishima who corrects your grammar or your facts mid-sentence, not because he wants to be mean, but because he thinks your "angry" face is the cutest thing on the planet.

boyfriend!tsukishima who has a secret playlist on his phone titled with just your initial, filled with soft, acoustic songs that remind him of the way you look in the morning.

boyfriend!tsukishima who actually shares his strawberry shortcake with you, which is the ultimate sign of devotion since he barely lets yaguchi have a bite.

boyfriend!tsukishima who looks at you over the rim of his glasses while he’s studying, his golden eyes softening in a way that would absolutely shock his teammates.

boyfriend!tsukishima who gets flustered and looks away, clicking his tongue, when you tell him he played well, even though his heart is actually racing from the praise.

boyfriend!tsukishima who finally says he loves you in the middle of a quiet library, whispering it against the top of your head so quietly that you almost think you imagined it until he squeezes your hand.

⋆˚꩜｡ tsukishima is an adorable pain after practice tsukishima x reader!

^^fluff , timeskip , maybe ooc again💌

it had been hours since tsukishima texted you, the last time being during his practice break. you had assumed it ran longer than usual, considering his team, sendai frogs, had a big tournament coming up. 

just as you were about to text him, the front door shut. you heard bags being shrugged off shoulders, shoes shaken off by the doorway, and footsteps being made towards the bedroom. 

you finally looked up to the doorway to see that he’d already made his way in, the door closing behind him. 

with a sigh, the tension from his shoulders released, pausing by the entrance of the room. 

“long practice?”

nod.

“ya tired?” 

nod. 

he then shuffled his way into the shared bathroom, leaving you to wait for him to be done showering and crawl into bed. 

once he was finished, it wasn’t long before he slipped into the covers, beside you. you had been reading, too focused to acknowledge him for the time being. 

you had assumed he was too tired for any conversation or proximity, so you didn’t initiate anything.

after about 15 minutes, you felt him shift closer, his knee touching yours. 

another 15 minutes go by, and he moves again, his breath now brushing your arm. 

you had yet to pay any mind to it, still assuming that he’s asleep, or trying to. 

when he saw you still weren’t budging or saying anything, he let out a small huff. then, lifting up your arm, he slides in between your arm and side, resting his head on your chest. he wraps his arm around your sides, pulling you closer to him. 

“tsukki,” you laugh quietly, looking down to see his blonde hair snuggled into you. 

he lets out a satisfied hum, his body practically melting on you. it was then that you realized that tsukishima was waiting on you.

you placed your book on your nightstand, “awe, did you miss me?” you tease, huddling closer to him. 

“shut up,” he grumbled, leaning up to kiss your jaw. 

a moment passes, and his fingers start slowly dragging across your hip, “yeah, i did,” he whispered.

tsukishima kei x filipina!f!reader

​falling for a human salt shaker with a pole up his ass wasn't on your bingo card, but life is weird like that. w/c: 3k, request, profanities, translations included

​the gymnasium air in karasuno always smelled like a violent mixture of floor wax, sweaty kneepads, and the impending doom of coach ukai’s yelling. it was your favorite place on earth, mostly because it provided you with a daily stage to terrorize the resident dinosaur enthusiast.

​you were loud. not just regular loud, but full-volume, hand-gesturing, laughing-with-your-whole-ribcage loud. your accent was a heavy, beautiful thing that wrapped around your vowels like a warm hug, turning sharp japanese consonants into something softer, bouncy, and undeniably rhythmic.

​“hoy, payatot! look at this!” you bounced over to the bench where the blonde middle blocker was attempting to drink water in peace. (payatot - skinny)

​tsukishima didn’t even look up from his bottle, though the slight twitch of his eyebrows gave away the fact that his peace was officially incinerated. “what do you want, short stack? and stop calling me that. my name isn’t ‘hoy’.”

ʚ ✉️ ⋆˚࿔ tsukishima kei was used to your teasing and antics, but when you accuse him of having other girls in his heart, he’s sure you’ve finally lost it. (based off this tweet)

ᝰ . tsukishima × reader ⌇ wc: 0.6K

tsukishima kei hasn’t known a moment’s peace since the minute you came stumbling into his life. everyday was something new, something interesting, something so incredibly you, and he’d be lying if he said he never looked forward to spending time with you.

sundays in your shared household were preserved for relaxing and winding down before the week inevitably began once again; before the two of you had to jump back into the cycle of adulthood.

two in the afternoon had come around quicker than anticipated, yet the two of you were still tangled up in the sheets, limbs interweaved with each other as you both respectively scrolled on your phones.

every once in a while you’d shove your phone in kei’s face, showing him some video that made you laugh, to which he’d snort before returning to his own screen.

with a sigh, you tossed your phone across the mattress, deciding that you’d had enough screen time and had become bored. laying your head on his chest, you allowed the steady rhythm of his heartbeat fill your ears, lulling you. with each beat, you tapped your finger on his chest, silently counting. his arm curled tighter around your frame, one lazy hand resting on your hip and toying with the fabric of your pajamas whilst the other continued its mindless scrolling.

too preoccupied, tsukishima was blind to the furrowing of your brows and the scrunch of your nose.

“kei, they’re laughing at me.”

with tsukki as the love interest :) them being polar opposties get tsukki can't seem to get enough of them— their playful banter, their accent coming off strong, and sometimes reader teaching the boys how to curse in filipino!

i was thinkingggg, an angry confession? tsukki secretly learning reader's language and blurting out "kasi mahal kita"

ahhhhh no pressure, author-nim !! i just couldn't get the thoughts out of my head

AGQHAGQYWGW I’VE BEEN WAITING TO GET TO THIS REQUEST !! twirling my hair and everything 🙈🙈🙈 these kind of tropes always get me

Synopsis: Tsukishima hides a confession inside an algebra test, confident that if anyone can solve it, it’s Y/N. What he doesn’t calculate is that she might already know the answer—long before she writes me + 2 on the page.

1.5k words

Fluff😚

“Rank one? Woah. Y/N is so smart.”

Hushed whispers rippled through the hallway as students crowded around the ranking board for the first quarter results.

“She even beat Tsukishima. Damn.”

You stood a few steps away from the board, calm—composed—as if this was exactly where you were meant to be. As if first place had always belonged to you in the most natural way possible

The way your classmates spoke about you, it was almost as though they could feel your presence five hallways away.

You didn’t gloat. You didn’t even smile.

You simply existed in it.

Like a queen who never needed to announce her reign.

And right beside the board—

Tsukishima stood still.

Golden eyes scanning one word.

2nd.

Tsukishima personally didn’t mind when someone was better than him academically.

He knew he was smart anyway. There was no need to compete—he wasn’t the competitive type to begin with.

He was his own kind of intelligent.

Detached. Certain.

But somehow… today made his brow twitch.

Not because of the rank.

Not because of the number.

But because—just for a split second—he caught it.

The faintest curve at the corner of your lips.

A subtle, fleeting look of satisfaction. A fucking gloat.

And then, just as quickly, it disappeared.

Back to your usual neutral expression. Composed—untouchable as if that tiny victory had never meant anything at all.

His fingers adjusted his glasses.

…Why did that irritate him?

But before he could say anything remotely aggravating, something stopped him.

He thought of the times he had almost let his usual sarcasm slip around you.

You didn’t deserve that side of him.

The side that would deliberately provoke Kageyama just to watch him explode.

The side that would say something cutting and walk away satisfied. If he tried that with you, he had a feeling even Kageyama would punch him for it.

And Tsukishima had seen more of you.

That was what held him back.

You two were often paired together for projects. Grouped for discussions. Left side by side for hours.

And within those hours—

You were kind, you listened, and you were easy to talk to. About anything.

Calculus. Physics. Literature. Archaeology.

Even… his interests.

The little things he usually kept to himself.

He found himself noticing details about you instead.

The brand of your pen.

The way you organized your notes.

The offhand comment you once made about wanting to try volleyball.

He hadn’t made fun of your height—he even encouraged you! That alone should’ve been alarming. His questions about you were random. Slightly out of nowhere.

“What brand is that?”

“Why archaeology?”

“Do you prefer mechanical pencils or ink?”

Small things and you let them slide.

Unbeknownst to you, you were still oblivious to the pattern forming.

And every time Tsukishima reported back to Yamaguchi—He’d earn either a wheezing laugh…

Or a long, exhausted sigh of defeat.

“Why would you ask what her favorite brand of pen is? That’s so awkward, Tsukki…” Yamaguchi sighed.

“She replied G-Tech though.”

Yamaguchi stared at him.

That wasn’t the point, and they both knew it.

Tsukishima slipped his hands into his pockets, expression unchanged. As if the interaction had been purely academic. As if he hadn’t replayed the way you answered—calm, unbothered, slightly amused.

Yamaguchi shook his head.

Tsukishima, meanwhile, made a quiet mental note.

G-Tech.

Tsukishima didn’t stop.

The questions continued—small, oddly specific, almost clinical.

What brand of highlighter you preferred.

Why you rewrote your notes instead of annotating directly.

Why archaeology, out of everything.

It made you pause.

What is he going to do with that information anyway?

Is that just how he starts conversations?

You weren’t unused to people talking to you. But his approach felt… deliberate. Like he was gathering data.

You glanced up from your seat.

He stood at the front of the room, chalk between his fingers, solving an equation with steady precision. No hesitation. No second-guessing. The numbers aligned cleanly under his hand.

He didn’t look awkward, not even in the slightest. That’s what makes it strange to you.

When a day passed, you decided to test something—see how far his little questions would go.

But before you could set anything up, a voice stopped you.

“Seriously, Tsukki? Asking about her pens again?”

It was Yamaguchi, leaning casually against the hallway wall, smirking. Quick, almost like an inside joke—but not subtle enough to fool you.

You raised an eyebrow.

You weren’t gullible. Not one to assume, not one to jump to conclusions. But… this was interesting.

And so, you abandoned your plan to test him.

You let it be. Let him have his little ways.

Because if his questions, his quirks, didn’t make you twitch just a little… maybe you’d be foolish not to notice that you liked the attention anyway.

While you were busy letting him be, Tsukishima had other plans.

He’d created an entire algebra test just for you.

Not difficult—at least, not in the usual sense. Each problem had a single variable as its answer. But there was a method to the madness.

Each solution, letter by letter, would slowly spell out a message.

I like you.

By the final problem, a small questionnaire awaited: what were your thoughts? Your opinion of the “exam”? The answers to his little puzzle.

It was meticulous. Slightly absurd. And very, very him.

Tsukishima had calculated everything.

If you didn’t pick up on the clues, he would stop talking to you.

If you did—if you gave him even the faintest feedback that you liked him—he would be the happiest person alive.

When he handed you the test, you scanned it quietly, solving each problem in your head.

“Why are all the answers variables?” you muttered, confused.

Then you paused. Something about the way the letters lined up…

You chuckled quietly at his… unusual way of confessing before flipping the paper over.

“You know the answer already, right?” you asked, pulling out your pen.

“Answer this, then.”

On the back, neatly written:

Let m = m , e = “e”, then solve for me + 2

He stared quietly, running mental calculations on the simple equation.

Then he glanced up at you, the corners of his mouth twitching—just enough.

A soft smile spread across your lips.

It was effortless. Gentle.

And it melted him.

Before he realized it, his hand had moved, lightly resting on top of yours.

And just like that, he asked—if he could court you.

Not in a loud, dramatic way. Not a “now-or-never” declaration. Just a quiet, careful question. A sign of affection, even if it was too early to call it love.

He was a gentleman. Someone you never realized it was nice to have around.

He held your hand.

Gave you his jacket when the wind made you shiver.

Brushed a stray strand of hair from your face.

Walked you home before heading to practice.

And always—always—made sure to be gentle.

“You’re so annoying,” you sighed, clinging to his arm as you tried to fit under the umbrella together.

“You’re the annoying one,” he replied softly, a hint of scolding in his voice. “Why on earth would you rather use a raincoat than an umbrella?”

He adjusted the umbrella slightly, making sure you weren’t getting wet—not from the rain, not from the tiny gap between the two of you.

“Walk carefully. You’re making my slacks wet,” he muttered, irritation just barely in his voice.

“Don’t care,” you replied, stepping along like nothing mattered.

“Oh, you dare?” Tsukishima shifted the umbrella slightly, letting a few light raindrops fall on you.

“Wha—! I’m sorry!” you whined, flailing slightly as you tried to dodge the drops

He walked you home safely despite the light rain, the umbrella tilting slightly whenever the wind shifted.

When you reached your gate, he lowered it at last.

“You’re home,” he said simply.

It was cold. The kind that lingered in the air and settled into your sleeves.

And maybe it was the weather.

Maybe it was the way he had made sure you didn’t get wet.

Maybe it was the fact that he chose an umbrella just so you could stand close.

You leaned forward. Your kiss was brief—soft.

But warm enough to melt the cold between you.

Tsukishima stood there for a second longer than usual.

“…You’re unfair,” he muttered.