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fifteen

Upon locking eyes, y/n's face started to warm up. Why did he look so...

Cute?

Tsukishima's eyes had widened and he failed to hide the way the tips of his ears grew red. "You came." He averted his gaze.

"Y-Yeah..." Y/n replied slowly, still looking at taking a good look at his appearance, quite the opposite of what he usually looked like. His bed-head was kooky, pajamas were disheveled, and he wasn't wearing glasses. "Pfft...."

"Hey. Don't laugh at me."

"Sorry, you just look so cute."

Tsukishima's whole face flushed. After an exaggerated exhale through his nose, he moved his gaze back to her. She was still holding back giggles, and her face was also red. "You didn't tell me when you were coming."

"My bad. I just..."

He waited for her to finish the sentence, but she didn't. "You what?"

"I... wanted to be able to spend the full day together." She looked away, "Y'know, since we haven't done so in a while." The silence that followed after she said that almost shattered all her courage. Maybe that was a little too honest. She fought internally with herself to look back up and see what kind of reaction he had. What she didn't expect to see was a smile.

"Me too." He said warmly.

Y/n's face was hot. She only nodded awkwardly in response. "I'll let you... change and stuff then." She walked away.

Tsukishima then closed the door after y/n disappeared from his sight. He kept his hand around the doorknob and laid his forehead against the door, hoping its cool temperature would help calm him. He was only shocked to see her, he tried convincing himself.

What was wrong with him these past few days...

She had a boyfriend, he needed to stop letting feelings get the better of him. After a moment of resting his forehead, the door already becoming warm because of the transfer of body heat, he pulled himself away, putting on his glasses and changing into more casual clothes and going to the bathroom.

"How's school? You been busy?" Mrs. Tsukishima sat across from y/n at the dining table with her hands folded, a cup of tea steaming in front of her.

"Ah, yeah."

"Well, I'm just glad you stopped by. It's been a while, no? I asked Kei if anything had happened because you stopped coming so suddenly. Oh dear, I don't mean to pressure you into coming... it's just," She took a sip of tea. "Jeez. Everyone in this house has gotten so used to your presence... so much so that it felt different without you." She set her cup down, giving y/n a smile.

Y/n's eyes widened. "Really? You mean I wasn't intruding too much?"

"Of course not, silly. I swear, without you here these past weeks have felt depressing and I'm sure my boys felt the same as well."

"Ah..." Y/n's voice was shaky, the realization that she hadn't been bothersome at all was dawning on her, and she was so relieved she could cry. "I'm sorry."

"Hm? For what?"

"For doing that. For not saying anything when I stopped coming by. You've treated me with so much kindness and hospitality... this place is like my second home. I was afraid of indulging in it so much, I didn't want to take advantage of your goodwill and assumed that it be better if I gave you all some space."

Ms. Tsukishima moved one arm across the table, her palm faced up, like an invitation. Y/n moved her hand from her lap and into the other's open hand, then she clasped around it. "It's not just goodwill and kindness. I'm glad you think of it that way, but I also want you to know that my boys are happier when you're here. Especially Kei. I'm just happy to have you here is all. You are always welcome here.

Y/n hummed in response, feeling her face warm up.

Ms. Tsukishima squeezed her hand softly, letting out a small laugh. "You're shaking. What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I'm just so relieved." A tear fell down her cheek before she knew it. It was impossible to stop the stream of tears that followed after that. It felt like all her emotions were coming out at once, dejection about Oikawa, not seeing the Tsukishima's for months, relief that they weren't bothered at all. She was starting to sob, unable to hold back.

"Y/n..." Mrs. Tsukishima stood from her seat, perhaps trying to move to the crying girl's side, but she didn't even take a single step out of her seat when she caught her son standing in the hallway just outside the dining room. "Kei."

Tsukishima's eyebrows were furrowed, and he slowly walked over to the table. He looked at y/n, who had her head down, face buried in her hands. He turned to his mom, who wore a worried expression and nodded. She nodded back, as if they communicated through a simple shake of heads. She grabbed her tea and hastily left the room.

After a couple beats of silence, nothing but the sound of y/n's shaky breath and a few sniffles, he spoke. "Y/n."

She only kept her face buried in her hands, no response. After a frustrated sigh, Tsukishima stepped closer to y/n's seat and reached for her wrist.

"Don't." She finally spoke.

"Don't hide from me."

"I...I look like a mess."

"So?"

After no response, he pulled her wrist away from her face and saw half of her red, tear stained face.

Boundaries. He thought.

She met his eyes, and through her widened eye, another tear fell down.

Fuck it.

Using the wrist he still held onto, he pulled her into an embrace, using his other hand to hold the back of her head against his stomach. His heart was racing, and he was starting to regret doing it.

No. He was embarrassed... but he didn't regret it.

Y/n's eyes widened, and she was so shocked she nearly stopped crying. She couldn't see anything in this position— her face smushed against the four eyes. All she could do was smell his laundry detergent, feel his toned stomach against her face, and his long, slender fingers buried in her hair. Her heart was beating out of her chest. He seemed to be in no position to move, so she reluctantly wrapped her arms around his body. She had stopped crying, more focused on the fast beating of her heart. She gripped the back of his shirt with both hands.

Maybe she should just keep crying, so he wouldn't let go.

The hand in her hair pulled her closer and y/n indulged in the warmth of his embrace.