seventeen

chapter one

"What's your lucky number?!"

Kei was first asked this question at the age of 6, by a bright-eyed kid he didn't know playing on the swing set. He had never thought about it before, but Kei answered quickly; "27." A simple answer - his birthday - and this remained his response to the odd question for many years after.

Kei met Yamaguchi Tadashi by coincidence at the age of 9, in the very same playground. The shorter boy was being picked on by some other kids for some stupid reason. Kei didn't even mean to help him, he just simply called the bullies out on the stupidity of their teasing. It was lame, and he told them so. But Tadashi was grateful, going as far as to tell him how he was so brave for standing up to the kids even though they were older than them.

Kei asked a week later why the kids were bullying Tadashi.

"My freckles. They're ugly."

"That's stupid." Kei stated, because it was.

It was stupid that Tadashi thought they were ugly. It was stupid that these neighbourhood kids picked on the smaller boy for such a thing.

Kei never mentioned his freckles again; not until their last year of middle school.

"Why are you covering them?"

"What?"

"Your freckles. Why are you covering them?"

Tadashi didn't answer right away and instead avoided eye contact with Kei to bring more concealer to his cheeks.

"'Cause they're ugly."

"That's stupid." Kei stated, because it was.

"You say that a lot, Tsukki." Tadashi chuckled nervously, but kept applying that damned makeup.

"Stop it."

"Why?"

Kei didn't give Tadashi an answer and instead yanked the concealer from him and threw it on the desk to grab a wipe and force it into Tadashi's hands. He waited patiently for him to wipe the stupid concealer off.

Which he did, somewhat hesitantly, and Tadashi's eyes never left Kei's.

"Do...do you not think they're ugly?"

This time Kei did answer him. "They're beautiful."

In Kei's first year of high school, an over-excited Hinata bounced up to him with a grumpy Kageyama in tow.

"Tsukishima! What's your favourite number?"

"Why?"

"Just answer the question!"

This time, Kei hesitated. This time, Kei took his time thinking of an answer.

"11."

"Oh! Like your jersey number!"

Kei nodded, and debated asking why the short ginger needed such odd information from him. He decided not to, and left to find Tadashi instead.

—

Tadashi had confessed to Kei in their third year of Karasuno. It was rushed, clumsy and a downright disaster, but Kei reciprocated with little hesitation.

"Tsukki...c'mere..."

They had been dating for half a year when a sleepy Tadashi mumbled those words from the warmth of his bed, motioning with outstretched arms for Kei to join him. He obeyed, and climbed into the bed to snake his arms around the pinch server's waist, and Tadashi buried his face into Kei's neck in response.

"Look at me."

Tadashi did so with a questioning look and Kei pecked his eyelids closed.

"Keep them closed."

Tadashi complied again, sighing softly. Kei took a moment to appreciate the peaceful expression and soft smile on his boyfriend's face before he set to work.

Kei placed one soft kiss just below his right eye.

"One."

Tadashi giggled but kept his eyes closed, "Not again, Tsukki..."

Kei ignored him and continued his task. He placed another tentative kiss diagonal from the previous one.

"Two."

Kei continued this pattern and eventually reached 16, and placed one final kiss just above the tip of Tadashi's nose.

"Seventeen..."

Tadashi giggled again and leaned forward to press his lips into Kei's.

"I told you, it's the same amount every time. You don't have to keep doing that."

"Shut up."

Kei kissed him again to reinforce his weak quip, then pulled back to cup his hands in Tadashi's jaw and trace light thumbs over the freckles of his soft skin. He really did think they were beautiful.

—

Kei had received a letter in the mail one week after his acceptance into the Sendai Frogs' Div 2 team. It was a quick form, one that asked his measurements for his new uniform. He flew through the paper, admittedly smirking at an imaginary Hinata when it asked for his height, until he reached the last question.

His jersey number.

This time, Kei didn't hesitate. This time, Kei didn't need to take his time. He scribbled his answer as quickly as the others.

—

"Hey, Tadashi? Do you know why Tsukishima picked seventeen as his number?" Yachi asked curiously as Tsukki walked into the court.

Tadashi simply shrugged, smiling wide.

"It's stupid," he stated, though it wasn't.