Elevator Escapade: Tsukikage

Chapter Nine: It's The Little Things That Count

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The night continued to buzz with energy, fueled by laughter and the competitive spirit of Karasuno's volleyball team. As the credits rolled on their second movie, Hinata leaned in with a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know what we should do? A prank! Let's get back at them for all the times they've teased us!"

"What do you have in mind?" Kageyama asked, a mixture of excitement and apprehension bubbling up inside him. The idea of pulling a prank had a certain thrill, especially with the way their team had bonded over the past few hours.

"I've got some fake spiders in my bag! We could set them up around the room and watch Tanaka scream like a baby!" Hinata exclaimed, practically bouncing on the spot.

"Why the fuck do you carry that with you?" Tsukishima said

"Because I can," Hinata responded 

Yamaguchi's eyes widened in horror. "What if they don't find it funny? They might get mad!"

"Oh, come on! It'll be hilarious!" Hinata insisted, his enthusiasm contagious.

"Fine," Kageyama said, suppressing a grin. "But if this backfires, you're taking full responsibility."

"Deal!" Hinata said, and within moments, he was digging through his bag, producing a handful of fake spiders.

While the first years plotted their prank, Tsukishima and Yamagushi exchanged knowing glances. "This is going to be a disaster," Tsukishima muttered, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Or a great bonding moment," Yamaguchi countered, smiling. "Let's just keep an eye on them."

As they set up the spiders in various corners of the living room, Kageyama couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie. They placed the first spider under the couch where Tanaka often plopped down, another on the kitchen counter, and one inside a snack bowl.

"Perfect! Now we wait!" Hinata whispered excitedly, settling down to watch the chaos unfold.

A few moments later, Tanaka sauntered in, eyes scanning the room for snacks. As he reached for the bowl, he let out a deafening scream when he spotted the fake spider. "What the hell?!"

Laughter erupted from the first years as Tanaka jumped back, nearly knocking over Kageyama's precious milk carton in the process. "What's wrong with you guys?" he shouted, trying to catch his breath.

"Surprise!" Hinata shouted, unable to contain his laughter.

Just then, Kageyama spotted a family photo on the wall—a candid shot of his family at a picnic from years ago. Family as in his Grandpa and sister, his parents were always at work. He felt a twinge of discomfort as his gaze lingered on it. The smiles, the carefree moments—it felt like a world away from his current reality.

"What's this?" Hinata asked, curiosity sparking in his eyes as he pointed at the photo.

Kageyama stiffened. "It's... nothing."

"C'mon, it looks nice! Who are they?" Hinata pressed, tilting his head.

Kageyama swallowed hard. "Just my family," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. He didn't want to delve into the fact that his grandfather had passed away, his sister was busy with her life, and his parents were hardly present. The thought made his chest tighten.

Tsukishima, catching the shift in Kageyama's demeanor, stepped in smoothly. "Let's not pry into Kageyama's life, Hinata. We have more important matters to focus on, like how to survive the next round of pranks."

Suga quickly added, "Right! Let's talk about the strategies we need for the next game instead."

Kageyama felt a wave of relief wash over him, grateful for Tsukishima's intervention. The topic shifted back to volleyball, and for a moment, he could forget the discomfort brewing in his chest.

As the night wore on and the pranks continued—much to the dismay of the older members—Kageyama found himself sharing more laughs, but the earlier conversation lingered in his mind.

Later, as the chaos began to settle down, Tsukishima found Kageyama sitting apart from the group, staring at the floor with a pensive expression. He walked over, leaning casually against the wall. "Hey, you good?"

Kageyama looked up, surprised. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "You looked like you were about to implode back there. If you want to talk about it, I'm here. Not that I care, but it's better than seeing you sulk."

Kageyama let out a small, humorless laugh. "It's just... I don't really talk about my family much. It's complicated."

Tsukishima nodded, surprisingly understanding. "You don't have to share if you don't want to. Just know that it's okay to feel whatever you're feeling. You're part of this team now. We all have our own mess."

Kageyama appreciated the sentiment, even if he couldn't quite articulate his gratitude. "Thanks, I guess. I just don't want to burden anyone."

"Too late for that," Tsukishima said, smirking. "You're already our resident chaos magnet. Just remember, we're in this together, even if you do bump into more birds."

Kageyama couldn't help but smile at the teasing. "Yeah, I'll try to keep my eyes on the road."

As they both joined the others, the laughter and playful chaos resumed, and Kageyama felt a warmth in his chest. Maybe he wasn't alone in this after all—he had teammates who cared, and for the first time in a long while, he was starting to feel like he truly belonged.

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