His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 5: What I Did for Love

The midday bell sounded at last, prompting most of the students in Class 1-4 to rise from their seats and make their way somewhere more pleasant to enjoy lunch.  Tsukishima and Yamaguchi stood up, intending to go up to the roof to enjoy their food and the pleasantly warm spring breezes.

"Hey Nakano, why don't you join us for lunch today?" Tadashi asked.  "It's really nice out, and we're gonna go up to the roof to eat!"  Tsukishima internally facepalmed.  Doesn't he realize that she might not be able to get up to the roof very well?  There's no elevator going up there, and she'd have to do at least the last 2 flights of stairs on foot.  He knew Nakano could negotiate stairs with her braces on, but she moved rather slowly with them.  She might not feel too comfortable trying to go up there.  He was preparing to talk Tadashi out of going to the roof, when he noticed the girl was already halfway out of the classroom.

"Oh!  Sorry, Yams, but I'm kinda busy for lunch.  Enjoy the sunshine, though!  I'll see ya later!  Bye, Tsukishima!"  Nakano pushed her wheelchair out of the room, keeping a steady but moderate pace up as she walked down the hallway.

"I wonder where she goes for lunchtime every day..." Yamaguchi mused, voicing Tsukishima's inner thoughts.  "Before she joined the team, she always seemed to eat lunch in the classroom.  Now she leaves every day.  I wish she'd join us sometimes."

Tsukishima smirked and looked at his friend.  "Oh really, Tadashi?  Are you pining for the Queen?  You might have to battle the King for her hand."

Yamaguchi scoffed. "It's not like that, Tsukki.  Nakano is my friend.  I like spending time with her, sure, but I'm not pining for her."  No, Tsukki, Tadashi thought, I think that might be you.  Even though I don't think you're ready to admit that, even to yourself.

Since the Golden Week training camp, Yamaguchi had paid attention to Tsukishima's face and body language whenever Nakano was around.  Something was definitely different about his old friend.  He watched the strawberry blonde girl with eager eyes.  And the expression on his face when he did so ranged from total confusion to something that could almost...almost...be classified as tenderness.  Yamaguchi knew he'd never admit it, but he was pretty sure that Tsukki might actually be taking an interest in Nakano beyond friends and teammates.  And he wanted to encourage that.  He'd been Tsukishima's best friend for a long time, and always would be.  But he also wanted to see Tsukki open up more, and let more people into his world.  Nakano was the first person he'd ever seen Tsukki show this much interest in, and he'd made up his mind to encourage that interest as much as he could.

The two boys made it up to the rooftop and set themselves up in a warm and breezy spot.  It was quiet up on the roof, other than the hum of machinery.  But even that sound became only gentle background noise as the boys lounged in the sunshine, enjoying their food.

"See?  This is what I mean.  I think Nakano would like it up here, don't you, Tsukki?"

Tsukishima clicked his tongue.  "Tadashi, why do you keep bringing her up?  Are you sure you don't want to ask her out or something?"

"Sorry, Tsukki."

"I mean, it's not that I don't want her to join us or anything...honestly, I really couldn't care less..."  Tsukishima began to ramble a little about how much he didn't care if Nakano joined them for lunch.  Yamaguchi chuckled gently.  A quiet spot where no one can hear you but me, and her name coming up in conversation...and off you go, Tadashi thought.  He'd moved on to wondering about Nakano's internal thought processes again.  By this time, Tsukishima was once again in that headspace where he would almost forget he was talking to someone.  This is the fourth time I've been able to get him rambling about her like this.  I don't care what you say out loud, Tsukki, that girl is stuck in your head.  Tadashi listened patiently as his friend finally began to wind down, now simply thinking to himself.  He let the silence settle for a bit, as he came up with an idea.