Unreadable. Unreachable. Unrequited. | TsukiYama ✓

15

[Tsukishima]

Okay.. I'd slightly planned this one with Bokuto, Kuroo and Akaashi, so hopefully it worked. I know people usually need time to get over things, but I needed to fix this. Yamaguchi's bullies were back, I knew it but he wouldn't admit it. I remembered him simply shrugging me off and running away when I asked why he hadn't told me they hurt him, which was answer enough. It's because we weren't friends.
The team has asked why I'd been acting so weird and ran out of practise after hugging Yamaguchi and I just ignored them, as bad as that admittedly made me feel.

I sighed, waiting by the school gates after practise with my headphones nowhere in sight. They had been completely abandoned at my house by this point, I'd vowed never to bring them to school at all. I'd never use them as a way to tune people out ever again.

I snapped back to reality as I heard the familiar voice of Yamaguchi. I perked up, watching him walk past me while talking to Yachi. They'd been too deep in conversation to notice me, which was fine I guess. I watched from a slight distance as they walked up to a car and Yachi got inside, Yamaguchi waving after her and calling a goodbye. Hinata and Kageyama were nowhere in sight as they'd gone off to practice or something, now was my chance.

"Yamaguchi." I murmured, walking up to him and dipping my head slightly as he looked over at me. He gave a short nod of acknowledgement before stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Tsukishima." He greeted back. The air was awkward and tense and I so wished it wasn't. I knew Yamaguchi just wanted to leave, but he was too polite to ask me to fuck off.

I'd zoned out subconsciously as I walked together and when I finally cake to I realised I was staring at a specific cafe. Ah..

"Yamaguchi, look. It's reopened." I murmured, pointing to the quaint little cafe.
Somehow, as if by some freaky psychic connection, Yamaguchi seemed to know exactly what I was talking about before he'd even looked over at it. I glanced to him to see the beginnings of a smile in his face as he paused to stare at the cafe with such nostalgiac eyes. I paused with him and just stared at the cafe.

"Remember when we used to steal things from behind the counter? Akiteru got in so much trouble." I let out a soft chuckle, which made Yamaguchi look over at me in mild surprise. I pretended not to notice though as I just stared at the cafe.
"C'mon, I'll get you something... it's the least I can do." I finally looked at him and we made eye contact.
There was a moment of dead silence before Yamanguchi finally gave the smallest of nods and we headed in.
Silent victory for me.

The smell of sweets and treats hit our noses instantly and a wash of nostalgia ran over me. I looked around at the familiar place, noting all the new things it had.
This cafe had closed about a year ago for renovations, but before then me and Yamaguchi would come here a lot. My older brother Akiteru worked here part-time until he went to college and had recommended it to us, giving us a 'sibling discount'. Because Yamaguchi was as much his sibling as I was.

"This is where we sat when I dared you to buy the strawberry shortcake." Yamaguchi pointed to a table. I was amazed he remembered, but now that he's mentioned it the memory came flooding back.

"I called you a prissy for picking it."
We sat down together, on opposite ends of the table like we had done as kids.
"But, I guess I was the prissy in the end because I liked it so much."

And then I heard him chuckle and everything was okay for a moment. It was short and quiet, but I heard it. I heard it, I was listening. I would always be listening to him from then on.

"You loved the french fries they made here."

"It's weird isn't it? A cafe like this selling burgers and fries."

"Ah, but the burgers and fries are delicious aren't they?" I raised a brow, making him crack a slight smile that lit up the entire room. I would kill for that smile to be on his face permanently.

"Boys! It's so good to see you again~!" A peppy woman in an apron adorning the cafe's name came strolling over to us. She was the manager, I remembered, but I couldn't recall her name.

"Well, we wouldn't want to miss the grand reopening." Yamaguchi rubbed his neck, feigning a smile.

"That was yesterday, Yamaguchi-kun. But that's alright! So what did you boys want?"

"I-"

"Strawberry shortcake." Yamaguchi cut me off softly, gaze firmly directed to the waitress. "And I'll have-"

"Fries. Soft and floppy."

"And-"

"One orange juice, as tangy as it comes."

"Then I'll take a tea, as milky as it comes with two sugars. Please."

We finally met eyes. Of course, ordering for eachother wasn't completely new to either of us, but under the circumstances...
I couldn't tell how Yamaguchi was feeling, just by his face alone. He usually wore his heart on his sleeve, but when he really wanted to I knew he was amazing at hiding his emotions. He was always so good at reading people, so naturally he'd know what did and didn't work.

He was amazing, in his own little Yamaguchi ways.

We didn't talk much after that, only thanked the waitress when she gave us our food. It became almost a habit really, having to swap our plates around because we ordered for the other person. Yamaguchi had started it to, and I quote, 'show how well he knew me' and 'to show how good of a  friend he was'.

As if he wasn't already the most amazing friend anyone could ask for.
And I'd thrown that all away. Why? I didn't know. I relied on him always being there and when he wasn't I didn't know what to do with myself.
What a mess right?

A mess that's all my fault.