the walk [tsukkiyama]

  Tell him. Now's your chance. Hinata and Nishinoya are finally gone. Just say something.

  "B-Bye, Tsukki," Yamaguchi stuttered out, stopping at the street that lead to his house. Tsukishma didn't give him another look, instead pulling his headphones over his ears and drowning the world out. Yamaguchi sighed and watched Tsukishma's figure get smaller and smaller, eventually turning to a puny speck that disappeared behind a hill. "Dammit," he whispered to himself, clenching his hands into fists. One of these days, he'd get the courage to tell Tsukishma exactly how he felt.

  Except - would it even work out? Tsukishima wasn't one to express his feelings, and yeah, him and Yamaguchi were friends, but were they really that good of friends? Was Yamaguchi replaceable in Tsukishma's world?

"Don't be an idiot," Yamaguchi whispered to himself, before making his way to his house, his head hanging low. One day he'd summon enough courage to tell Tsukishma. One day.

---

"Daichi got us pork buns!" Tanaka yodeled in excitement, tossing Yamaguchi a bag, which he luckily caught. He threw a look to Tsukishma, who was already walking his way home.

"Hey, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi called, watching Tsukishma's golden gaze look at him from the corner of his eye. "Want a pork bun?" Yamaguchi's question was met with a shake of Tsukishma's head, causing Yamaguchi to frown. "Are you already heading home?"

"Yeah," Tsukishma murmured simply, stopping to eye Yamaguchi warily. "Why?"

"Just - just curious," Yamaguchi covered, hoping he didn't look too distraught. He had hoped to tell Tsukishma tonight, but it was apparent that it wasn't happening. "G-good night, Tsukki."

"Yeah, night," Tsukishma murmured and put his headphones on, walking away with his hands in his pockets. Yamaguchi made his way to his teammates, a small frown on his lips.

"Why do you look so down?" Tanaka asked, moving to walk backwards in front of Yamaguchi so their eyes could meet. "Girl problems?" he asked, smirking like he already knew the answer.

"No, I was just...thinking about practice," Yamaguchi lied, his eyes flickering to anywhere but Tanaka's.

"A certain...someone at practice?" he prodded in a teasing tone, smirking when Nishinoya perked up at this.

"You like Yachi!" Nishinoya whooped, punching Yamaguchi's shoulder. "You horn dog!"

"Says you," Yamaguchi countered, frowning as he stepped away from the two idiots. "And it's not a girl problem."

"So it's a boy problem, then," Hinata said simply, and Yamaguchi swore his heart stopped in his chest. Did Hinata know?

"No. I already told you I was thinking about practice."

"Drop it, you guys," Daichi ordered and Nishinoya pouted. Tanaka just threw Yamaguchi a wink, and something in his expression told Yamaguchi he knew.

---

This was the perfect time to tell him. The others had split off to get ice cream, and Yamaguchi, not feeling so comfortable after their last conversation, walked alongside Tsukishma.

"Tsukki..." Yamaguchi said, watching as Tsukishma's eyes stayed forward, but Yamaguchi knew he was listening. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Tsukishma asked in that one monotonous voice that drove Yamaguchi nuts. He sounded like he didn't even care. He probably didn't. This was all in Yamaguchi's head; the stares that he'd feel boring into his back, but as soon as he turned, Tsukishma's golden eyes had fallen to the ground. The fact Tsukishma always stood next to him or walked alongside him. When Tsukishma would open his mouth slightly, like he was going to say something, but nothing ever came out.