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

Chapter 104: Kiss

Nakano couldn't help but chuckle as she watched Kiyoko and Yachi inch closer and closer to each other, lips almost touching, but not quite yet.

Kiyoko had made good on her word, grabbing both the setter and their little blonde manager by the hands as soon as Daichi wrapped practice for the day.  She'd hurried the girls to the changing room, and was on her cell phone ordering pizza for them even as they all got cleaned up and headed out.  Kiyoko permitted them long enough of a delay to each kiss their respective boyfriends goodbye before heading out to her place.  Nakano had lingered, her hands cupping Kei's cheeks as her lips peppered him with little kisses all over his face.

"Thank you, love, for being so understanding," she'd whispered, "I...I..."  Nakano had hesitated, not wanting to apologize yet again but feeling like she should.

Kei had smiled softly and kissed her nose, making the girl giggle and scrunch her face.  "No apologies necessary, Roses.  Have a good time."  The look on the boy's face had also held a silent plea for deliverance, and Nakano couldn't help but wonder if he was hoping for this evening to finally help her get past her difficulties...or if he was pleading for someone to save him from guy's night at Hinata's place.  Maybe it was both, the girl mused, still chuckling at her managers.

They'd rushed right over to Kiyoko's house, arriving only moments before the pizza (after stopping briefly at Sakanoshita to pick up some sodas and some sweet treats), and then flopped themselves in the Shimizu living room to eat and watch, of all things, Takeshi's Castle.  Kiyoko had declared it to be the best thing to watch when you were feeling down, and the girl hadn't been wrong, as soon Nakano had found herself laughing hysterically at the ridiculous antics of the contestants on the old game show.  Kiyoko's brother had joined them, stealing a couple slices of pizza and a soda and teasing the girls for watching 80s game shows.  Tatsuya was settling into a chair, reaching for their bag of Sittori Choco when Kiyoko suddenly stood, scooping up as many of their remaining sodas and snacks as she could and heading for her bedroom, declaring that older brothers who complained about their choice in television shows were not welcome at girl's night.  The boy had laughed hysterically and waved them goodbye, continuing to watch the TV.

And now, here they were, settled in Kiyoko's bedroom, playing the Pocky game.  Nakano had picked up a couple of boxes of Almond Crush Pocky (her favorite) and Kiyoko had challenged them to the game, making all three of them break out in giggles.  The strawberry blonde had gotten serious once the game actually started, intending to win against both her friends.  It was a little bit tougher, playing with the lumpy almond-encrusted Pocky, but in the end, Nakano had won against both the girls handily, and was now sitting back, watching the other two compete for second place.  

There was not a whole lot of space left between them, and both girls were trying hard not to break their concentration...or the Pocky.  Nakano couldn't resist a little teasing.  "Somewhere, right now, Noya-senpai is probably about to explode.  You two are most definitely setting off his ultra-sensitive kiss sensors," the girl said, her bright laugh ringing out.

This statement made Yachi give out with a tiny squeal, and the girl admitted defeat as the Pocky broke, huffing out a disappointed breath and turning to face the setter.  "Naka-chan!  That wasn't fair!"  Yachi couldn't keep up the act, however, and started to laugh as well.  "But you're not wrong."

Kiyoko handed each of them another piece of the sweet treat.  "Alright, Naka-chan, I think you're in a bit of a better mood than you were at the end of practice, hmm?  You ready to talk about it?"

Nakano sighed, a deep and lustrous sound.  "I'm sorry.  I've just been so...tied up in knots ever since that night..."

"Of course you have!  It was awful!  And so so scary...and I didn't even have anything bad happen to me, really!  Not like you did, Naka-chan!  I can't imagine how you've been feeling..." Yachi began, giving her fellow first year a most sympathetic look.