Chapter Text
Kuroo had told him that there were two things that made him fall in love.
And Kei had listened to him as he talked, more like gushed, about how he might of been in love. How there might be someone for him when the training week ended.
Tsukishima didn't understand that the crushing weight that he started to feel was jealousy, jealousy for someone that might start dating Kuroo.
“I mean volleyball is great, but I’m not about to date a ball for a month,” Kuroo said, laughing. “She’s so nice, and pretty. She told me that she’s been to most of our games, even the ones that we lose.”
Kei nodded as he kept describing this mystery girl. He could feel himself begin to get irritated, but Kuroo didn't notice, too caught up in what he was talking about.
“I want your opinion of her,” Kuroo whispered. He was looking down, his ears red. Kei found himself nodding already. “You don't have to. I was going to ask Kenma, but I know what he would say and Bokuto would be all about her without knowing what she looks like. You’re the only one who would tell me the honest truth about her.”
“You don't have to say all of that, you idiot. I already said that I would,” he said. And the way that Kuroo’s face lit up made his heart skip a beat.
----
He had told him that there were two things that made him fall in love.
And Kei knew that he didn't have either of those two qualities that the older boy was looking for.
“Kuroo’s asking for you,” Yamaguchi said, holding out his phone to the taller male. Tsukishima sighed, feeling a brief pain and the drop of his stomach, and shook his head.
“Tell him I’m too busy to talk,” he said instead, standing and walking away from his best friend, who nodded, and relayed the message back.
“He’s never busy,” Kuroo said back.
---
Those two things kept him awake at night.
“I don't even like him,” he said out loud. Yamaguchi nodded his head, sitting at the foot of Kei’’s bed. “I mean, who would like an idiot like him? Not me.”
“I didn't say anything, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi replied, trying to hide the smile that was begging to cross his face. “You were the one who brought him up.”
Tsukishima glared at him and shook his head, thinking about all the things that had happened recently since the week of training ended.
“He asked me to meet a girl for him,” he whispered. “He wants to know what I think of her so he makes the right decision.”
“You don't want to?” Yamaguchi asked even as pain flashed across of his friend’s face. Tsukishima nodded, slowly, but nodded all the same.
“I don't want to meet the girl who’s going to be able to hold his hand, or go on dates with him, or do anything with him,” he said, running his hands through his hair. It was the first time he had ever spoken these words out loud, and he didn’t want to hear himself say all of this.
It proved that he actually had feelings for the older student.
“Are you going to tell him that?”
“Do you think I’m going to?”
----
Kuroo sighed as he looked at the high school that he had only ever visited to have matches against Karasuno, or to hang out with his favorite blonde blocker. But right now, this day was different.
He came here for answers, wanting answers for the vague texts that he had received from his friend, the missed calls that he knew weren’t accidental. He had tried to get Yamaguchi to tell him what had happened, but the other first year wouldn’t tell him.
So he made the decision to make the two hour trip over to Miyagi to see Tsukishima and get him to talk.
He knew that Tsukki was still in practice with everyone, but he didn't know if he would be avoided if he texted him telling him that he was here to see the blonde. So he did not. He didn't do anything to let anyone know that he was here, waiting, trying to hold himself together.
What if he didn't even come to school today?
What if Tsukki tells me that he doesn't want to be friends anymore, for whatever reason?
What happened to make everything like this?
Was it me?
Kuroo took in a deep breath, trying to become relaxed, to not let those anxious thoughts shake him.
He looked up, and his eyes met those honey colored ones that he knew so goddamn well, those eyes that made him re-think everything about himself, made him question what he actually felt for the other, and his mouth was open even before he could stop it.
“Tsukki!” Kuroo yelled, his hand in the air, waving, and Tsukishima just stood there, his eyes wide, his jaw clenched and his hands curled into fists.
And oh god oh god he has bags under his eyes, and his hair is such a mess, it's almost like his own black hair, and the way that Yamaguchi and Hinata and Kageyama and the rest of the team, they’re all around the blocker who looks so sick, so sick and tired and it's his own fault. It’s because of the damn feelings that he keeps trying to shove away.
He took a step back, he felt his stomach drop as those eyes meet his, and he watched as they widen, and then look away. Kuroo sees Yamaguchi say something to the blocker, who shook his head.
----
It had to happen today, he came here to drag him away to meet that girl of his that he would have to lie about because he wants Kuroo to be happy even if it meant stomping on his own heart.
Tsukishima had seen him when he had left the locker room, the mess of hair was the thing that identified him, but god he was too tired to try and get around him. Yamaguchi had seen him stop and try to collect his breath, and asked him what was wrong.
“He’s here,” was all that he said, and it was like the whole team knew what was wrong with him even if he hadn’t let it interfere practice, and they surrounded him. He had half the mind to roll his eyes as he watched Nishinoya climb onto Asahi's back, to make fun of the way Hinata was copying the way Tanaka was standing.
But it was like the sight of Kuroo stole all of his energy.
“Tsukki,” Kuroo yelled, a smile on his face his hand waving at him and the team. , and he felt his body go tense, felt his hands curl into fists, and his stomach tighten with the anxiety that had been there since Kuroo told him about the girl, the girl that he had to meet.
“You don't have to go,” Yamaguchi whispered to him. “You can just stay here. There isn't anything wrong with not going with him.”
“I have to, I need to,” he said as he shook his head. “I need to get him out of my system, and if, if this is the way then I’ll- I’ll do it.”
He looked at Yamaguchi, who nodded, but could barely keep a smile on his face.
“We’ll be here when you get back,” Sugawara said.
“Please don't stay at school all night,” Tsukishima said. Everyone laughed. “Please don’t worry about me though, I’ll be fine.”
----
Kuroo remembered the night that he had told Tsukishima the two things that made him fall in love.
And those two things both described Tsukishima Kei.