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

Chapter 39: I Love You

Sugawara Koshi loved figuring things out.  He loved a good mystery.  He enjoyed watching the kind of show where you found out about the characters by inches - and he'd always try to predict the next revelation.  He was usually pretty good at it too, assuming the writers had done their job well.  But most of all, he loved using his deductive reasoning skills and intuition to find out about his friends and teammates.  It was his way of showing how much he cared, and he loved getting to know even more about those he considered to be his closest companions.  He was not a gossip (well, at least no more than the next person) and he would never, ever spread rumors.  He wanted the real story, not made up nonsense.  He wasn't interested in telling tales, either in school or out of it.  He just wanted to know more about the people he cared about, and to see if maybe he could help them in some way.  It was his particular brand of kindness, really.

Asahi liked to call him a busybody, when he felt like Suga was pushing the boundaries a bit.  Daichi was more...colorful about it, frequently calling him a royal pain in the ass who was all up in everyone else's business.  But he said it affectionately, most times.  After all, they'd all been friends for quite a while now, and Daichi knew that Suga really did mean well, even if he occasionally might drive his captain a little nuts. 

Something was definitely going on. It had been several days, and it was very clear. Things were different with the first years. Suga was very sensitive to things like that, and he had noticed a strange new vibe coming from five of the six first years.  He stood in the gym, towel around his neck, chugging from a water bottle, and watching the first years as they did their thing.

Hinata was still Hinata, he didn't think anything could ever change that.  Shoyo was hyperactive, enthusiastic, driven, and mind-numbingly consistent.  That boy lives, eats, sleeps and breathes volleyball, Suga chuckled to himself.  Maybe someday there would be room for something else underneath that mop of orange hair, but that day wasn't today.  He watched Hinata chatting with Asahi, asking him about his spiking techniques, and smiled.  He's gunning for your job, Asahi, Suga thought, but until then, he'll learn as much from you as he can.  Shoyo was good at that.

Suga turned his attention to the easier part of this to figure out - Yamaguchi and Yachi.  Yamaguchi was talking with Daichi - Suga was quite certain the captain was checking in with him regarding his work with Shimada-san - but even in just the few moments he'd been watching, the freckle-faced boy had darted his eyes over to Yachi no less than three times.  It had been obvious for a while that the two bashful first years were crushing on each other.  Although, bashful isn't really the right word when it comes to Yamaguchi Tadashi, Suga mused.  Sure, he can be shy, but he's also got a streak of something...naughty in him.  Suga chuckled to himself again, knowing that many of his friends were surprised to find that he had a naughty streak of his own.  Yamaguchi had enough spunk to be best friends with Tsukishima, and that meant being able to deal with everything that young man could dish out.   In a flash of insight, Suga realized that Yamaguchi, of all the first years, was probably the best choice for captain when the time came.  He had the kindness, the drive, and Suga had noticed from time to time, the wisdom that a good captain needed.  In two more years, he'd be ready for that position.

But right now, Yamaguchi had the look of a young man who'd taken a big step regarding his crush.  The two weren't yet a couple, but Suga was pretty sure Yamaguchi had asked Yachi to go along with him to something.  Maybe as friends, but still.  His best guess was the upcoming Fall Festival, that was the safest kind of thing to ask a girl you were interested in finding out more about to hang out at.  Lots of people, they would probably go with the other first years -  definitely a low-stakes ask.  But still - it was an ask.  And Yachi had obviously said yes, given the fact that every single time she looked at the brunette she flushed pink and smiled.  The girl in question was currently bringing towels and water around - Nishinoya was her current target - but her eyes seemed to have trouble staying on task.  Suga smiled indulgently; the two would make a positively adorable couple.  He knew Kiyoko had taken Yachi under her wing, he made a mental note to ask her about what was happening with the potential pair.  But he was reasonably sure he'd gotten it correct.