The Love That Grows Inside

The Story Begins

*TW: USE OF THE F SLUR*

The chime on the door Lucy's Diner rings in the background as Yamaguchi orders a cup of fries for himself and a cherry cola for Tsukki.

Kei walks up to the booth where his best friend is sitting and joins him at the table. "Soggy fries again?" He teases.

Yams giggles and responds, "They're my favorite, ya dork."

"Yeah yeah I know," Tsukki's always known that. He knows almost everything that there is to know about Yamaguchi. And that works the other way around, too.

Tadashi Yamaguchi was always close with Tsukki, at least since they met in grade school. Since they'd grown up they'd gotten as close as can be, with reasoning of course.

"So what've you done this week?" Every week the two would have a hangout at their favorite hang out spot, Lucy's, and chat for a while.

"Eh, not that much. I finished my project for homeroom and then I did some sketches in my free time," Tadashi loved to sketch when he had time. He was always doodling or making new tattoo ideas or creating a new poster for clubs.

"Ah that's nice, care to show me your sketchbook?" Tsukki was always hopeful, but Yams never really showed anyone what he sketched... Kei was hoping that time was different.

Needless to say, it wasn't. While Yamaguchi used to be pretty open as a kid, he grew to be very stubborn in his late college years. He showed no intention of letting Tsukki in his sketches anytime soon.

Yams raised an eyebrow and gave a slight glare at his best friend... who looked quite nice today, to say the least. "You already know the answer to that, Kei."

"Ugh, fine," he gave a sigh but laughed it off.

The waitress came up to the booth and gave them their order and wished them well. When she leaves the two get back to talking.

"What've you been up to this week?" Yams wanted to get the topic off of himself.

"Not that much, I had my midterm prep for political science but other than that nothing major," Tsukki has always loved history and the way things fit together, so it was no surprise that he'd taken an interest in political science.

"Ah that's not too bad. I've been thinking about getting another tattoo, y'know... because I've been sketching," he lets out a small laugh as he looks at his half sleeve of tats debating to get another or not.

"I mean, they don't look too bad on you. As long as you know what you want I guess," Tsukishima took a sip from his cola and looked back at a blushing Yams. "What?" He laughed.

"Oh um, nothing," Tadashi shakes his head, feeling embarrassed and gives another laugh as he eats some of his fries. By now the blush was gone.

"Alright, if you say so..."

Kei and Yams y'all for another hour before Tsukishima decides that he needs to be on his way. As he leaves through the door the bell chimes, and leaves a thought in Yamaguchi's head.

'What am I doing? Falling for my best friend? I'm insane... I can't even show him my sketches for god's sake... I'm in this way over my head.'

And he was. He really, truly was. He had no idea what was to come, the rest of his life would never be the same. (But he doesn't know that, so hush now.)

*The Next Week*

Lucy's door opens and Tsukki looks up from the booth he sits at, meeting eyes with a flustered Yamaguchi. He looks out of breath, probably because he was late to the pairs weekly hang out.