Break The Ice

Surprise

"C'mon, ladies, you gotta do better than this. Nationals is just around the corner!"

Y/N's coach has been unto the ladies in the past days since they got back from the holidays. It was a literal comeback to reality for the girls. Daily morning and afternoon trainings, mock matches, and...

"Good afternoon, Coach Ueyama.. ladies.. Sorry to interrupt. I've got great news."

"Professor Takeda, haven't seen you in a while. What's up?" Called out the boyish coach running a hand up her jet black, pixie cut to meet the obviously excited professor.

"First, congratulations on reaching the Nationals. Second, the boys will be having a training camp against the other schools competing in the Nationals and that will be held in Tokyo. I took advantage of the opportunity and luckily landed you a training against their women's volleyball counterparts, which were also about to be competing against you in the upcoming Nationals."

After the professor's explaination, every weary eye in the gym widenend in surpise, then with excitement, and now blazing fire of competition. Each and every girl was hungry for improvement, for the sake of the team, and for the sake of their prides, they are ready and had been waiting for this opportunity to test their limits and push beyond them.

"When will that be Professor?" Mina's voice ringing loud and clear in the crowd from the center.

"In a week." Takeda replied with a smile.

"We'll be ready."

As soon as those words dropped from their future captain's lips, the girls grinned in a menacing way making their coach and proffesor Takeda feel intimidated themselves.

The professor felt so positive about this, since he has seen this scene countless times with the boys and he's just as proud for these girls' achievements.

----

Lately, everything has been so hectic that Y/N couldn't help but feel worried about her relationship with Tsukishima. They could rarely go out on dates or have quality time alone, Tsukishima kept on reassuring her that everything's fine, that everything's gonna be alright, but despite that, there's this annoying feeling that something bad is about to happen sooner or later.

"What are you thinking?" Tsukishima eyed her in suspicion, leaning against the gymnasium's wall, waiting for Y/N to come out of it's doors, as usual.

His gentle yet inquisitive voice sent Y/N back to the present, letting her eyes land on the moonlit features of the tall-blonde boy. The face she yearned to see every minute of every day.

The boy slowly stepped forward towards her, flicking a finger on her forehead to call her soul back to her body, making her flinch and whince in pain, reaching to that now sore part of her forehead.

"Stop keeping your thoughts to yourself, how many times have I told you that I am here for you. I'm starting to get offended." His voice was quiet and sincere, so warm that Y/N can almost feel it wrap around her.

"C'mon, let's go home."

With his fingers interlocked with Y/N's, they silently walked home but the sudden turn towards an empty park just a few blocks away Y/N's house, caught the timid girl off-guard.

"Kei, where are we going?" Her voice cracking unintentionally from being so silent for quite a while.

Tsukishima pursed his lips until they were sat in a bench, the street lights, the trees, and the moon as their only witnesses.

"Talk to me." His voice was serious, demanding even, as he started interrogating.

"K-Kei... I-"

She didn't know where to start, first there's their busy schedule making them meet up only at school without being able to talk about anything else asides training and assignments, second is this issue with her father. She has been trying to avoid it for the past few days after realizing it that day after their little rendezvous.

"Ssshhhh, it's okay. Breathe. Then talk to me." He cooed, carressing one of Y/N's cheeks with his thumb in an effort to calm her down.

"I don't know why... but I've been feeling scared, lately."

"Of what?"

"Of the future."

"Okay? What about it?"

Y/N's eyes immediately drifted up towards Tsukishima's, a reaction to check on him, wondering why this is not a big deal to him. But little does she know, Tsukishima was trying to calm himself down, with all his might. A shiver of doubt started rippling up his spine. He knows as much as Y/N's worries about the future but he is still in denial, refusing to let her go, no matter what. He was just asking her now, to confirm it, hoping he'd hear something different, something petty, something solveable.

"My father. I've grown up knowing that what he wants, he gets, in a really frustrating way. Like, you won't have any way to avoid it, because he's always been right." Y/N sighed.

This was the very thing Tsukishima was afraid to hear. He tried to reassure Y/N by holding unto her hand tightly, just as much as he's trying to comfort himself from finally and painfully, knowing Y/N's thoughts.

"Okay. M-maybe we could try. I'll be here to help you." For the first time, Tsukishima stuttered.

"I'll be here if you needed help in school, g-grades and stuff. In volleyball too. Wouldn't doing good here convince your father to make you stay?" He continued.

"I don't know yet, but we could try. I also have to tell you that we should keep us a secret for a little while. Just until I get his approval. I'm so sorry." Her voice was worried and apologetic. She somehow felt sorry for Tsukishima, thinking that must be so unfair to him.

"It's okay. Let's do that. L-let's just do what we can for now and worry about things once it's right in front of us."

Tsukishima couldn't help but hold her tight in his arms, practically begging the gods not to take her away from him.

Feeling their warmth against each other, the two realized that it has actually been a while since they last had each other close like this.

Shifting his head to whisper in Y/N's ear, he said...

"Let's add one more secret to our list."

Barely fighting the urge to refuse to do couple stuff in public, Y/N's eyes roamed around searching for possible eye-witnesses as she felt Tsukishima's lips deliciously carress the sensitive skin on her neck, making the hairs on her arms and legs raise, an obvious sign of delight.

"K-Kei, w-we're out it the open." She breathed.

"It's okay, there's noone else here. And I... terribly missed you. Please." Tsukishima low-key whined. Staring into Y/N's eyes, asking for permission. He did miss her, but it was only an excuse to make the most of the time they have together.

Y/N felt the same yearning starting to boil in her chest, pushing her arms to drape around Tsukishima's neck pulling him in for a passionate kiss. It was out of impulse, it was her heart dictating her every move, she loves this boy too much.

-----

She felt elated after finally opening up to Tsukishima about what's worrying her. Knowing that he's still willing to stay and help her out irregardless, lifted most of the weight on her shoulders.

Standing outside her door, familiar voices could be heard from the other side, something she was not expecting.

People. There are more people inside the house than usual.

With trembling hands, she opened the door revealing her mother and her father in the foyer pulling their luggages behind them.

"Surprise!!!" Chimed her mother, all smiles as she lovingly wrapped her arms around her baffled daughter, while Y/N's eyes landed on her father's stern but slightly gleeful ones.

What is she to do now?