The Shape of Silence || Tsukishima Kei x Reader

Chapter Seven: Grumpy Beginnings

Tsukki greeted his new turmoil of feelings by face planting into his bed the moment he got home. He groaned into the pillows, his glasses digging into his face.

***
"That's depressing." Kuroo commented, breaking Tsukki's thunder. "You don't go all shojo? No mumbling of the classic stoic male character about how he couldn't have possibly have fallen for the cheerful girl? Just a groan?"

"You're not good at this entire love thing, Tsukki." Bokuto pointed out.

"And yet I'm the only one out of the four of us who has kids." Kei huffed, frowning.

"Oi! Keiji and I count as one being!" Bo said defensively. "We both don't think it's time for a kid yet. That's all."

"That doesn't explain Kuroo." Akaashi pointed out.

Kuroo shifted in his spot. "Kenma and I are... waiting for the paperwork to come in." He admitted, running his hands along his face. An excited grin graced his lips, like a girl fangirling over her first kiss.

Kei wouldn't know. When he first kissed (F/n), her reaction was quite the opposite. At least when he was around.

Akaashi's and Bokuto's mouths went slack, and they exchanged a glance that clearly said we'll talk about it later.

Kei shifted in his spot. He was about to ask Kuroo how the process was going, but Kuroo quickly changed the subject back to Tsukki's story.

"We're not letting you get off that easily..." Bokuto muttered, both Kei and Akaashi nodding gravely. But, Kei picked up where he'd left off.

"Anyways..." He continued, absently signing the word as he did.
***

Of course he had to like her, he thought. Yes, like the girl who did one singular act of kindness for him in his time of need.

She was just a classmate, he told himself. A very kind, genuine classmate who stood out in the most marvellous ways. She wouldn't matter in the years after high school.

***
"Boy, were you wrong." Kuroo snorted. He was silenced when Akaashi glared at him. Bokuto hid a smile by sipping some of his drink.

Rolling his eyes, Tsukki proceeded once again.
***

He repeated that over to himself. She wouldn't matter. He just met her. She probably already had a boyfriend. His mind went to that Kim guy. Kei had seen the pair hang out a lot recently, appearing to be deep in conversation. Nobody really bothered to disturb them.

He remembered that smile she gave him when she gave him his name. It almost felt like he was breathing for the first time since childhood, when he had a crush on this one girl named Sakura. He wondered for a moment if that feeling during that time was as intense as this.

He didn't think his feelings were intense at all, though. Just the feeling of liking this one human in particular more highly than the rest. But still, why was he worrying about her and whomever she spoke to so much?

He let out another sigh, and turned to look at his phone he'd absently placed on his bedside table. The cheap earbuds were still connected to it, coloured an artificial looking blue. However, he admired them. Maybe he'd use them for just a few more days, at least until the weekend.

He sighed again, rolling into his back. He was unable to think more when his door slammed open, his brother standing there, grinning deviously.

"You like someone!" He announced, and Kei sat up slowly. He shot his brother a warning glare, but Akiteru seemed not to catch it, striding right over and sitting on Kei's bed.

"Who?" He demanded. "Have I met them? Is it Yamaguchi? It can't be Yamaguchi!"

"It's not!" Kei snapped, but his brother continued to grin like an idiot. "Why do you care, anyway?"

"Because you never sigh like that!" Akiteru insisted. "You sound so heartsick. Do they have someone already?"

"I..." Kei's voice caught in his throat, then he looked down at his hands. His right hand was calloused from writing, and they were rough from playing volleyball. Surely, such a gentle girl like (F/n) wouldn't like hands like that.

"I don't know." Kei finally said.

"Is it the deaf kid?" Akiteru asked, his voice softer. Kei decided not to look up. He didn't want to get emotional in front of his older brother.

He only nodded–just slightly. He immediately hoped his brother wouldn't catch it. But, unfortunately for him, he did.

The biggest smile spread across Akiteru's face, but before he could say anything, Kei dragged him out of his room and slammed the door.

Oh god this was going to be rough.