Chapter Text
He thought that he’d be a second away from fainting or at the very least, nervous, but Goshiki didn’t feel anxious at all. In fact, he felt as if he were about to walk to the back-line for a serve after scoring several already. There was definitely the pinch of the ‘what-if’ in the back of his head, but he was calm. He walked past Shirabu, who didn’t react, but Kuromine was giving him twin thumbs-ups.
You were talking with Choi Jin-Hye, who noticed him coming before you did. To his surprise she winked at him and excused herself with a flourish, leaving you alone on the bench. You looked a little more sombre than usual, and he guessed that it was because you had just rejected Shirabu the other day. He could only cross his fingers that he wouldn’t be joining Shirabu in the ‘had-the-really-cute-junior-trainer-break-my-heart’ club.
“[Name]-san?” he asked, getting your attention. You looked up at him, meeting his eyes. For once, he didn’t feel the urge to look away.
“O-oh,” you said, getting to your feet to close the height gap somewhat. “What’s wrong, Tsutomu-kun? Do you need something?”
“Um, yeah, actually. Can I talk to you?”
“Of course. What’s up?”
Deep breath. First foot forwards, two steps. Arms back for maximum height. Power to his toes, align his body to the ball…
Hit the ball.
“I… I like you. More than a friend.” He swallowed hard, clenching his fists as if that might help steel his resolve. He couldn’t help but look at your knees as he spoke frantically, afraid that he might lose concentration if he met your eyes. “I have for a while but I was never able to admit it… but that’s how I feel. I like you, [Name]-san. You make me feel… all sorts of things, but most of all, I like you.”
“You… do?” Your voice was quiet and wondrous, more like you were seeing a shooting star rather than hearing his heartfelt confession. He wasn’t discouraged and barrelled forwards.
“Yeah. Yes! Of course I do! You’re kind and helpful and beautiful and smart and… well, um, you just make my heart race and I just can’t stop thinking about you. In a not creepy way. Anyways, um, I’m sorry if this is hard for you to hear, since I’m younger than you and all, but… that’s how I feel.” He bowed his head to you, staring right down at his shoes, his breath held as he waited for a response. He could feel his face reddening with embarrassment but resisted the urge to sprint away.
“Oh,” was all you said. He looked up, concerned, and realized you had taken both hands and put them over your face.
“[Name]-san?” he asked, bewildered. You waved him off with one hand and he saw just how coloured your face was underneath.
“I-I didn’t… wow, um… okay. Yeah! Um…”
He suddenly realized with a jolt what you had probably felt like every time you had talked to him before, and he couldn’t help grinning down at you. You were too adorable, flustered like this.
“[Name]-san?” he prompted gently. Your shoulders rose as you took a deep breath and suddenly, you looked up explosively. He was much taller than you so you still had to crane your neck up to look at him, the red flush across your face accentuating the colour of your eyes.
“I like you too!”
“…what?”
Out of all the answers he had been expecting: ‘sorry, I don’t return your feelings’, ‘I understand’, or ‘what the hell, you freak!’, he had definitely not expected ‘I like you too’.
“I… I thought you’d find it weird for an older girl to like you, so I never said anything. But you’re so inspiring, and…!” You started fanning yourself, looking back down at the ground and talking to his feet. “I’m sorry, this is so awkward for me... I just didn’t know how to express myself without making things weird—”
“You aren’t!” he blurted out hastily. “It’s not weird at all! I-I promise, even though I’m your underclassman, I’ll do everything I can to make you happy!”
“Ah, no, don’t say that! I’m going to start crying or something dumb!” You covered your face again and Goshiki couldn’t help but gently take one of your wrists, pulling your hand away. You peeked up at him and he knew he was blushing too, the heat pounding across his face. But he wasn’t nervous. Instead, he was pressing his lips together in concentration, like he might during an approach for a spike.
“I’m going to do everything I can to make you happy,” he repeated resolutely. You squeaked in the most adorable way, but nodded, your hand slowly slipping through his grip to fit in his. Your smaller fingers clutched his.
“Okay,” you agreed quietly. You smiled shyly, your eyelashes fluttering. “I’m going to do everything I can… so that you can be the next ace. I want to be here when you are… and when I leave, I’ll wait for you.”
“Goddammit!”
Tendou’s familiar shriek from behind him made Goshiki jump and startled you so much you screamed, covering your mouth with the hand not in his. Goshiki whirled around as Tendou clutched both sides of his face.
“Wh-what is it, Tendou-san?!” he asked, but Tendou was already shouting accusatorily.
“You happy couples make me sick. Sick! First Wakatoshi, then you—what’s next?” He stormed away, hands in the air as if to ask God why there were all these happy people to torture him.
Still, despite Tendou’s bitterness, your hand was still in his. And that was just the beginning. If this were a spike, it’d be a service ace. He could feel it now. The ball hitting the floor of the other side of the net, the rising wave of the cheer…
What did he need to make a wholesome mushroom stew? Well that was easy, he just needed love, and you.