Words Aren't Perfect | Tsukiyama ✓

[17] From One Gay To Another

Needs - Verzache

Clean? idfk. I just know the bass line is really cool and I like it. So here.

Previously: the Tsukishima parents came home from Russia. The band decided the first hour would be at Yamaguchi's house instead of Tsukishima's.

Setting: on the streets towards Yamaguchi's house

u know what that means 

party time

As the four high schoolers walked home, Kuroo was the only one talking. Occasionally, Yaku would kick the back of his knees for being stupid. Yamaguchi would look worried but not say anything, and Tsukishima wouldn't even bother paying attention, as he had gotten used to this routine. 

For a few minutes, the drummer was curious as to why Yamaguchi hadn't asked what the issue was between him and his parents. Then he remembered that the singer had had his own personal encounter.

Suppose I should try to keep him separate from my parents while we're having practice, Tsukishima decided.

As the four stepped inside the house, everybody bolted in different directions. Kuroo rushed to the kitchen, looking for something to eat; Yaku went to the garage to set up the instruments; Yamaguchi went to drop off his school stuff in his bedroom; Tsukishima went to the cooler to get a cold drink. 

The first few minutes consisted of setting up equipment and Kuroo deciding if he should have key lime pie or a croissant. 

Being a good host, Yamaguchi let everyone take snacks and drinks and helped point out where the outlets were. He set up the mic stand and adjusted all the volume levels while everyone tested out their own instrument. 

The singer, who'd already done a mic check, went up to the drummer and gestured to the snare drum. 

Then Tsukishima realized he hadn't tested Yamaguchi's drum kit at all, even though he was sitting down right in front of it. 

Oh, he realized, I was too preoccupied checking out his—shut the hell up, you dumb shit. Band practice now. You can be gay later. 

Tsukishima starts a steady beat, feeling for any imperfections in the drum kit. 

"Seems fine," he said. "Is everyone clear?"

Yamaguchi nodded and went to stand behind the microphone.

From the drummer's perspective, Yamaguchi stood in front and to the left. Yaku stood to the right and in front, and Kuroo was directly next to Yaku. All four of them faced the wall of the garage, letting the door to the house be on their right and the garage door on their left.

"All right," Kuroo started, shifting in his space, "tracks 3, 4, and 5?"

"Yep," Yaku confirmed. "Whenever you're ready Tsukishima."

The drummer counted the band in. Kuroo started the bass line twice, leading Yaku into his guitar riff and Tsukishima into the steady beat of the kick and snare drums.

Tracks 3 and 4 had already been completed, they just hadn't been named yet. The band wasn't good at naming songs, so they usually did it last, once they'd gotten a final draft of the chorus.

Track 5 was the one only Yamaguchi knew the lyrics to. They all knew the instruments' roles, but the singer hadn't shared any of his own part.

They sped through Track 3 without any issues. They re-did the pre-chorus two more times just for fun. After fixing all their errors in track 4, Yaku (who'd unofficially been voted as band manager/instructor) called for a break.

The band's breaks were usually 10-15 minutes long with nothing to do but individual practicing and off topic chatting, or mobile games if someone wanted to be a dick and isolate themselves from the band. 

That last one was usually Kuroo, who thought he was so food at bass that he didn't need to spend his break reviewing small bits of the songs. But since he was in a new environment, he must've  felt the need to explore, because he asked Yamaguchi for a tour of the house.

The singer silently agreed with a nod. The two went inside the house, and Tsukishima could hear the bassists footsteps pounding loudly on the wooden floor.

Yaku drank from his water bottle and sat down at the garage floor, leaving his guitar on its stand. He must've been entirely lost in thought, because he kept staring at his palms with the occasional glance at his electric guitar,

"Something happen?" Tsukishima asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

Yaku nodded slowly, not bothering to face the drummer. "Sort of."

Tsukishima waited for a deeper explanation.

"There's this guy," the guitarist started. "But I don't know if he likes me back or not."

The drummer hummed in acknowledgement. "Is he in my class? If you give me a name, I might be able to tell you how to seduce him—"

"No!" Yaku exclaimed, flustered. "I don't think that's the solution—"

"Do I get his name?"

"It's nobody you'll know."

"Still."

"Fine. It's Hirose Nobu." [thanks, random Japanese name generator. No, Lev does not appear in this chapter. Y'all get Lev later.]

"You're right. I have no idea who he is. How do you know you like him, anyway?"

Yaku shrugged. "I keep finding my attention going towards him not matter what. It's only this band that keeps me sane. Sometimes in class, I'll completely zone out, getting daydreams or something."

The drummer raised his eyebrows. "Daydreams?"

Yaku glared. "Not like that!"

"Well, if you're getting daydreams, you're probably interested."

Yaku sighed. "That's okay. He's been avoiding me for the last few days, so I think that's a reason to drift off anyway."

"Idiot," Tsukishima said, "that's exactly the reason why you should confront him, not avoid him."

The guitarist looked up and blinked, confused. "Confront?"

"Yeah. Go up to him and say, 'What the hell, bastard? Stop avoiding me, I need to talk to you.' Then you get it over with."

"Wha—but I said I don't think he likes me back."

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "It's not about getting a boyfriend. It's about getting those dumb feelings off your chest. He's a nice guy, right? You have a thing for nice guys. He won't spread rumors about it, and he won't tell anyone if you ask him not to."

Yaku hesitated, but nodded again anyway. "Okay, thanks. Oh, and, Tsukishima?"

"Yeah?"

Yaku smirked. "You should try taking your own advice for once."

//

y'all tell me if this chapter is shit (bc like nothing happened) and I'll upload the next early