STRAY [Yamaguchi/Tsukki/OC]

Chapter 2 - Pinky Promise

🧪

 "Tsukki! Tsukki, I have good news!"

Tadashi Yamaguchi beamed at his roommate and long-time best friend, Kei Tsukishima, as he shut the door to their dorm behind him. For the third year in a row, their room had been divided down the middle, one half Tsukishima's and one half Yamaguchi's. They had the same basics: lofted beds, desks, desk chairs, and a short dresser. Simple. Collegiate. Utilitarian.

Without looking, Yams threw his backpack onto his bed before hopping up beside Tsukki, who was watching some YouTube video about a video game they both played. Yams couldn't help but prod him a bit, saying, "Aren't you going to guess what it is?"

"Knowing you... a fabulously wealthy but secret kingdom came forward and claimed you as their long-lost prince or something," Tsukki grumbled, finally pausing his video to give Yams more attention. "But... I doubt it."

Yamaguchi fought off the flush building in his cheeks, biting the inside of his lip. "Nothing like that, Tsukki," he laughed. Leaning his head on Tsukishima's shoulder to watch the video too, Yamaguchi said, "I think I made a friend! Well, a study buddy at the very least. She's funny and super nice, and she gave me her phone number!"

"Good job, Tadashi," Tsukki said, glad that Yamaguchi couldn't see his proud little smile. Even though both of them considered themselves introverts, Yams had always been the more friendly of the two of them so it was no surprise that he already made an acquaintance on the first day back to classes.

Speaking of which... "I have to head to my first class in a few minutes," Tsukishima sighed, already tired. The broken promise guilt and pre-semester anxiety chipped away at him slowly, like flesh-eating bacteria. He hadn't slept much, if at all, for the past few nights.

"Which one is that again?" Yams yawned, "Math?"

"Calculus, yeah," Tsukki said.

"Ew."

"Ew indeed."

"Is it at least a small class?"

"No, it's one of those lecture hall ones."

"Double ew."

"Ew times a million."

Yamaguchi laughed at that, and it warmed Tsukki's cold, dead heart. He didn't want to leave, but he wouldn't be late on the first day of classes. "I gotta go," he said again, but this time he really meant it. With a groan that made him sound five million years old, Tsukki heaved himself off of his bed and packed up his backpack.

"I'll see you at lunch, right?" Yamaguchi asked, still sitting on Tsukki's bed.

Tsukki nodded. "I'll be done at noon."

"Big cafeteria or little cafeteria?"

"Little. The freshmen will crowd the big one until they find out about the little one."

"Good point."

"See you in a few," Tsukishima said, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and heading to the door.

Yams smiled and waved. "Have a great first class, Tsukki!"

Tsukishima stopped with his hand on the knob. He looked back over his shoulder at Yams, and the guilt swooped in once more, gripping his heart and turning his stomach.

"Right," he said, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I'll try."

🧪

Calculus was just as boring as Tsukishima expected it would be.

Math was boring enough, but in a lecture hall it was damn near torturous. There was no way to ask questions or work as a group or anything meant to keep you awake — it was just one old bat droning on and on and on for an entire hour. Tsukishima caught himself drifting to sleep more than once, but kept himself awake somehow.