Chapter Text
Tsukishima knew it was silly in retrospect.
He absolutely liked Kuroo—as a person, as a captain, as his soulmate. And, now that he had jumped over the hurdle of his own self-doubt, he could admit it clearly.
Yeah, he loved him.
It was too soon maybe. They’d known each other a grand total of six days. You aren’t really supposed to fall in love with someone that quickly.
He supposed the soulmate thing made it easier.
Or, perhaps, it just sped up the process somehow. He didn’t really know the science behind it, if there even was any.
“What’re you thinking about, Kei?”
Tsukishima looked out across the dimly lit room to find a face looking back at him, eyes soft, lips slightly upturned, hand inching towards him. The blonde sighed in content, reaching out to grab Kuroo’s fingers in his.
The two had arrived at the net café, and contrary to what Tsukishima believed to be true about them, this one was kept sparkling clean, each computer separated from one another in small booths, a dim blue light shining throughout the first floor. They were on the second floor now where patrons were allowed to rent out futons to lay across a tatami mat and sleep in small rooms separated only by thin paper doors. Through the window, the warm light of streetlamps outside filtered into the room, barely illuminating the dark inside.
Despite the lack of light in the room, Tsukishima found Kuroo easily. He stared back at him, squeezing their hands together. It had never been difficult to find him at all, to be honest. The only obstacle that had been in his way had been himself.
Kuroo’s amber eyes patiently stared back at him, waiting for a reply. Tsukishima smiled, and he hoped the raven wouldn’t be able to see how delighted he looked.
“How… I’ll get to see the transformation of your hair as it takes its usual shape.”
They were alone in their room, but, if Kuroo voiced his complaints in his normal voice, it would have carried over to others. Instead, he pouted, pulling Tsukishima closer to speak only above a whisper. “Kei, that’s not very nice of you. I’m sensitive about my hair.”
Tsukishima snorted, knowing he could never be too close to Kuroo, and yet, feeling way too self-conscious like this, near enough to each other to feel the rise and fall of their chests.
“Sorry,” he breathed, eyes flitting down to Kuroo’s lips before up again. “Can I make it up to you?”
Kuroo’s breath hitched, and god, did Tsukishima revel the sound in that quiet room with no other guests to bother them. He knew there were customers downstairs gaming and a few more who had rented out small rooms similar to theirs, but, right now, his world was only he and Kuroo.
“Uh,” Kuroo said, seemingly finding his voice again. He swallowed thickly and Tsukishima knew that Kuroo knew the blonde heard it. ‘Fuck.’
Ignoring the heat in his own cheeks, Tsukishima leaned closer and their lips met quietly in the dark. It was different from the movie theater where they were crying and desperate to just be as close as possible to each other. This time, it was a soft kind of firmness, familiar and constant—a promise of many more kisses to come.
When Tsukishima pulled back, Kuroo did as well, eyes fluttering open as if in a daze.
“Wow, I love you.”
Tsukishima knew it wasn’t just the cramped space of the room that was making him warmer than usual. He bit his lip and looked away, uncertain what to do with the tightness in his chest. It was too much. He didn’t want to cry again.
“I love you too.”
Kuroo smiled wide, looking beside himself with happiness. He leaned forward to bridge the distance, and peppered Tsukishima’s cheeks with more kisses.
“God, how are you so perfect—I don’t even care that I had to wait longer than Bo, this, you, you’re the best.”
Tsukishima giggled, shuffling away from the onslaught of affection. Before he could crawl too far, Kuroo leaned over to grab him by the waist, pulling him back.
“Oh my god, Kuroo, stop—”
“Nope, never stopping, we need to make up all the kisses I wanted to give you for the past seven days—”
“You’re being ridiculous—”
Kuroo wrapped his arms around Tsukishima’s frame, and they rolled around on the futons together, legs tangling, sheets bundling up around them. Their limbs collided with the doors, rattling the frames.
“Okay, stop, really, we’re being too loud—” Tsukishima laughed, prying Kuroo’s fingers away from around his stomach. “You can give me all those kisses whenever you want from now on, you know—”
As soon as he had started, Kuroo stopped like a deer in the headlights, blinking back at Tsukishima blankly. His arms were still wrapped around the blonde and Tsukishima lay over the raven, bodies touching, close, close, too close.
“C-cause, you know, we have forever and all…”
Kuroo’s bottom lip came up to swallow his upper one in a pout and Tsukishima startled, hands flying over his mouth.
“That’s not what I—I mean, yeah, of course we do, but like, I didn’t mean it like—”
“Kei, I love you so much, you know that?” Kuroo sobbed, and he truly looked like the happiest man in the world. He twirled them around to lay on top of their futons once more, grabbing Tsukishima in a tight embrace.
“Have mercy on me,” Tsukishima mumbled into the crook of Kuroo’s shoulder, though, he also held back as firmly to the raven, burying his face into the fabric of his shirt.
“You’re saying that? You’re the one who needs to have mercy on me!”
The wall rattled to the left of them, and they both silenced, pulling apart slowly. Kuroo gave a sheepish look to the direction of their neighbors.
“Oops.”
Tsukishima bit back a laugh and they both snickered quietly to themselves, hands coming to intertwine once more. They grabbed the blankets and pillows strewn across the room together and crawled back to lay down on the mat again.
In no time, peace was restored. Well, mostly.
“Did you really mean that, Kei?” Kuroo whispered once things had settled down.
“Hm?”
“About forever. I mean, maybe not that kind of indefinite kind of thing, but, what… what’re your plans? Are you going to college? Still going to play volleyball? Still going to stay with me?”
“I don’t know,” Tsukishima admitted, looking at the window, glowing from the lamplight. It was too soon to think about the future. “I mean, I’m going to go to college, but, I’m not sure about… other things.”
“I see,” Kuroo moved around restlessly in his bed. “But, that’s okay. You’re a first-year. You have time.”
“Yeah,” Tsukishima said.
Their conversation petered off, and Tsukishima felt his eyelids grow heavy. Despite wanting to stay up longer and talk more with Kuroo, it had been a long day of firsts. He had gone on a date for the first time, discovered something new about Kuroo’s powers, and kissed someone for the first time.
He had accepted his soulmate for the first time too.
Tsukishima felt Kuroo turn to him and despite some uncertainty in the raven’s eyes, he smiled, brushing a hand through the blonde’s hair. “Goodnight, Kei. Sweet dreams.”
His world melted away and the only thing that was left was the feeling of kind fingers resting on top of his head.
The next morning, they headed back to school, taking one of the earliest trains back to campus. It was a lazy morning with quick pecks to the side of mouths as they brushed their teeth, leisurely packing, and grabbing a fast breakfast at an udon stand near the café. It was slow, and sleepy, but so perfect, and Tsukishima found himself lost in the casual conversation they made throughout the day.
Even as they exited the subway together, hand-in-hand, Tsukishima realized he didn’t want it to end. Kuroo was thinking something, that much was obvious from the gentle hum in the raven’s head, but it didn’t seem particularly pressing. Whatever it was, it didn’t stop him from squeezing his hand as they reached the gymnasium.
“Well, gotta go be a captain and all, so,” Kuroo was rambling, though his eyes never left Tsukishima’s lips. “I guess this is where we part, but I’ll see you off when your team leaves for Miyagi.”
As if he could be more obvious.
Tsukishima rolled his eyes, leaning forward to place a soft kiss to Kuroo’s lips. Even though he had only learned how to kiss the other day, he wasn’t going to let Kuroo be the only one who initiated it all the time.
When he pulled back to see the raven’s flushed cheeks and infatuated expression, he knew he definitely wanted to do that more often.
“See you,” Tsukishima murmured, a volume lower than he had been expecting. He smiled, squeezing the fingers in his palm tightly before letting go. The first-year headed off to his team’s sleeping rooms to drop off his things as Kuroo waved him goodbye.
It was only a little after noon so Tsukishima figured all the teams would still be practicing in the gym, getting final workouts done before everyone returned to their own schools. After practice, they would eat a late lunch, have a cooldown period of free time before getting on the bus to leave prior to sunset. He’d have to say goodbye to Kuroo then.
Tsukishima admitted it was happening a little too fast for his liking. After all, he had only just accepted his soulmate and now he had to go back to Miyagi that night. He was sure other soulmates were able to fully enjoy the time they spent in the first week of meeting unlike them. He mentally berated himself for taking so long to come to terms with Kuroo’s very existence.
Quickly, Tsukishima put his things away, changed into gym clothes, and washed up before heading to the main gymnasium. As he expected, everyone was just about getting ready to wrap up practice, some of the longer matches still playing in the background while a few teams cleaned up.
“Tsukishima!”
A familiar annoying yell resounded across the room. Tsukishima winced, turning to find Hinata jogging up to him.
“We’re doing penalties right now on the hill!”
Oh. Great. Of course, he had to return for this.
Tsukishima glanced over at Nekoma for a moment. The team was in a game right now, and Kuroo had been swapped in as a pinch server. The first-year watched as the captain dove for a ball, his form perfect as always, without even trying. Everything he did was so perfect and all Tsukishima wanted to do was just watch the raven play on the sidelines, witness every score he made and every smile he gave.
Wordlessly ignoring his thoughts, Tsukishima followed the redhead as he ran outside to join Karasuno. He was greeted to Sugawara assessing him with a knowing look in his eyes.
Was it a setter thing?
As Hinata bowled into Kageyama and the two started yelling at each other, Tsukishima figured that no, it was not a setter thing. He couldn’t imagine Kageyama making the same kind of unsettling observations as Kenma or the rest. But it was definitely an Akaashi and Sugawara thing, for sure.
“How was your date, Tsukishima?” Sugawara called out as he approached them at the base of the hill. “Did you have fun?”
Tsukishima paused, taking a moment to stretch on the grass. He averted his eyes from the vice-captain, trying desperately not to recall that dream from days ago. “It wasn’t bad.”
Sugawara grinned, and he leaned over to pat the blonde on the back. “Good, good, glad to hear it! Having one of our tallest players back is great, though you’re a little late to the party. Still, glad you’re here to suffer through the penalties with us!”
As the third-year turned to join the rest of their team, Tsukishima watched him cautiously. He had a vague handle on Sugawara’s superpower from what he knew about the gray-haired senior and if it was the form of omniscience he thought it was, Tsukishima had no doubt Sugawara knew how his date had went.
He tried not to think about it.
By the time Karasuno had ran up and down the hill two times, Tsukishima had warmed up and was joining them in the drills. It was difficult and exhausting, but it got his mind off of leaving Kuroo and finally ending this week-long journey.
It was only belatedly that he realized he would be getting his powers back too, and the constant hum he heard every moment of the day would disappear completely.
That was an odd feeling he wanted to get off his mind as well.
They finished their punishment and joined the rest of the teams to clean up the gym before lunch. According to the excited squawks of some of their more dimwitted members, Tsukishima had learned they were having a barbeque after some downtime. He took the free time as an invitation to find Kuroo, but unfortunately, the captain seemed to be busy, rallying the Tokyo teams for meetings, and talking with the coaches. Tsukishima decided to just help out with some of the barbeque preparations with the managers and a few straggling volleyball players. He would have spent some time with Yamaguchi, but he and Yachi were off doing inventory together, and Tsukishima did not want to be third wheeling.
He had his own soulmate to return to, after all.
Burying that embarrassing thought down and trying to hide the flush in his cheeks, Tsukishima stayed mostly to himself until the barbeque started. Once people started scrambling for food, he took a small plate for himself and migrated to a less populated area of the school, watching the antics of every team from a distance.
He kept an eye out for Kuroo as well, but the captain seemed to be running around with Bokuto in some kind of meat scavenging competition. A few times throughout it, the raven had looked up, locked eyes with Tsukishima and smiled, as if content that the blonde was eating, but outside of the general vicinity of everyone else, in mostly peaceful silence.
The consideration made Tsukishima’s chest tighten.
“Tsukishima.”
The first-year looked up from his meal to see Akaashi walk towards him. The second-year studied him for a moment before sitting down next to him on the steps.
“You’re eating enough?”
“Ah, um,” Tsukishima stammered, putting his chopsticks down. “Yes.”
Akaashi offered him a quiet laugh. “Don’t be so nervous, I’m not here about how you’re feeling. I’m actually happy for you.”
Tsukishima looked down at his hands, feeling his cheeks burn. “Thank you.”
The second-year hummed, taking another bite from the riceball on his plate. “So cute. You can transfer another person’s thoughts to someone else, correct?”
The blonde startled, watching as Akaashi’s emerald eyes turned to him. He bit his lip, laughing nervously. “I’m not too sure, yet, but that does seem to be the case…”
“It seems it only works for people you’re thinking of.”
“I—”
“He heard mine. Look,” Akaashi pressed and Tsukishima turned his gaze to where Akaashi was indicating.
For a moment, all he saw was Kuroo looking very lost next to a mischievous Bokuto who successfully managed to swipe something off of the distracted raven’s plate. The third-year was looking up and out above the crowd towards Tsukishima, as if the blonde had called him to get his attention.
Except, he hadn’t.
Kuroo noticed Akaashi next to Tsukishima and his eyes widened in recognition. He made as if to trudge his way over to them when another thought from the second-year entered Tsukishima’s mind.
‘It’s alright, I’m not doing anything.’
Kuroo paused, the expression on his face was one of complete confusion. Still, he stopped and turned to resume his fight with Bokuto, sending Tsukishima a reassuring glance beforehand, one that he read as ‘If you need anything, just call.’
“How did—”
“You’ve been thinking about Kuroo-san all day, haven’t you? I’ve noticed he’s been very distracted—he’s getting a lot of secondhand thoughts through you.”
Shit.
Tsukishima covered his mouth with his hand, putting down his plate on the floor. He hadn’t really been paying attention to the thoughts that had crawled into his head today, mostly because he had learned how to drown it out as white noise.
Plus, he was with Kuroo and the raven was all he wanted to pay attention to.
That explained Kuroo’s distracted nature for the majority of the day. It must have been a bit unnerving to suddenly hear other people’s thoughts again, unfiltered and rampant. Though, if Kuroo was more experienced with treating it as background noises, Tsukishima wondered if that was enough to sidetrack the third-year at all.
Maybe it was something else too, but, the extra thoughts probably weren’t helping.
“He’s been nervous,” Akaashi commented, and Tsukishima felt his fingers twitch with anxious energy.
“I know, but I don’t…” Tsukishima began, feeling lost and uncertain again. “He said he would tell me his feelings from now on, so—”
“Have you?”
“Huh?”
“Have you told him your feelings as well?”
Tsukishima blinked, recalling the moment they had in the movie theater and in the net café. “Yes, yes, I have.”
“So, you’ve said clearly that you’re fine with being soulmates?”
He hadn’t, but he figured it would be obvious. Tsukishima watched as Akaashi studied him for a moment before sighing lightly.
“Kuroo’s a third-year. You are two years apart. If you don’t say things explicitly, I only imagine it would be difficult to continue your relationship.”
“But, that’s okay. You’re a first-year. You have time.”
Tsukishima felt his stomach drop. Did Kuroo think he had no time as a third-year when he said that? Tsukishima admitted, it was difficult thinking about the future, as he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do as a career, or with volleyball, or anything else, but for Kuroo’s sake…
With the way things were going, it wasn’t fair to Kuroo at all.
“Still going to stay with me?”
He turned to find Kuroo in the crowd of hungry volleyball players. Everyone was wrapping up, eating the last bits and pieces of their meals, and the managers were rallying their teams to pack everything. Some players were still running around and goofing off, but most were sitting down, conversing with one another.
Tsukishima found Kuroo with Bokuto, Lev, and Hinata on one of the last steaming grills. The four of them were eating leisurely, and Hinata seemed to be talking animatedly about something that Bokuto was all too excited to entertain. Kuroo laughed along with them, but he kept casting glances over at them, as if timing his approach as best as he could for when he could leave and be reunited with Tsukishima.
And, just as in the theater, Tsukishima knew he had to be the one to take the initiative.
As the coaches called everyone to get ready to leave, Tsukishima gestured to Kuroo to meet him. Akaashi quickly left to join Bokuto and most people dispersed to meet with their teammates as they prepared to bus back. Each team headed back to grab their things.
Tsukishima hoped Yamaguchi would take care of his stuff for him.
“Kei, what’s up?” Kuroo asked, coming over to greet him. He smirked, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Did you miss me?”
“Yeah, I did.”
Kuroo halted, face going bright red in an instant. “Oh, uh. Shit.”
Tsukishima smiled, grabbing Kuroo’s hand and pulling him forwards. “Can we talk about something?” He glanced around nervously. “Alone?”
Nodding blankly, Kuroo gently squeezed back and Tsukishima took that as a sign to lead the raven around to the back of the third gymnasium, quite a distance away from the cafeteria or sleeping rooms. Once there, Tsukishima released his grip on Kuroo’s hands.
“Oh, what’s this, Kei? Getting feisty?” Kuroo laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. Tsukishima looked up at it, a fondness settling into his heart. Had he always done that when he was nervous? He definitely tended to put up a front of someone who knew what he was doing all the time, even if he was just as anxious as anyone else.
“Stop that,” Tsukishima said, reaching forward to grab at Kuroo’s wrist. He placed his free hand on the side of the man’s cheek, noting how warm it felt. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”
With that, Tsukishima pressed his lips against Kuroo’s. The pressure the raven put was slack at first, but soon, he was pushing back as well, both of them getting lost in themselves.
It felt as if they hadn’t kissed in ages. It was ridiculous.
When Kuroo pulled back, eyes hazy, mouth parted, Tsukishima felt tempted to kiss him again. With the way Kuroo was looking back at him, as if he were some kind of precious jewel, Tsukishima assumed he was also thinking the same thing.
“Kei, I’m going to miss you,” Kuroo murmured, as their foreheads touched. “Let’s call often, okay?”
“You’ve got to give me your number first,” Tsukishima nearly whispered back, watching the setting sun reflecting in the raven’s eyes. He exhaled shakily, looking down at their feet. “I… want to spend more time with my soulmate.”
Kuroo’s eyes widened. “You said I’m your soulmate.”
“Yeah,” Tsukishima laughed, feeling a little embarrassed that it had taken him this long to do so. “To be honest, I don’t know what the future will hold. I don’t know about school or volleyball, or any of that, but I know that I want you there with me.”
Kuroo bit his bottom lip and his eyes seemed to glisten with the onset of tears.
“And, maybe, if I get to see you more because of volleyball, I’m okay with playing more too. I might even come to love it, who knows. We’ll play and win and find each other on the court during nationals. Maybe it’s a farfetched dream because we’re only a small team from Miyagi, but I think if it’s to reach you—”
Tsukishima swallowed, eyes darting from one part of the concrete beneath their feet to another. This was silly and absolutely ridiculous. After what had happened with his brother, he had promised he wouldn’t get so invested in anything. Yet, here he was, investing his life in his soulmate, investing it in a volleyball career he wasn’t even sure would happen, and investing it on a future he couldn’t even see ahead of him.
“Th-then, next year, I’ll visit you at your university and maybe I’ll even end up going there with you one day. And after, we can get an apartment together, just the two of us,” Tsukishima knew he was rambling now, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted—no, he needed Kuroo to know that even if it was hard to know where they’d be, ten years or even a single year from now, he wanted him there as a constant. For as long as it was realistically possible and perhaps, even beyond that. “And if you ever don’t want me there, just let me know cause—”
Kuroo shook his head, cupping Tsukishima’s face in his hands. “Never. I’ll never want that. I will always want you, Kei. From now, from before I even met you, and until forever.”
Tsukishima tried to breathe, but it came out as a choked sob. “Forever is a long time.”
“I know,” Kuroo smiled, and he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to Tsukishima’s mouth. “But with you, it would be too short.”
The blonde embraced him, and Kuroo returned the gesture with twice the fervor, and if it had been anything other than a romantic embrace, it might have been suffocating. But this hold was just right, with the right amount of longing and care, and Tsukishima was positive he would have been content staying like this forever. It felt like home.
They pulled apart and Tsukishima laughed lightly at the tears at the corners of Kuroo’s eyes. He reached out to wipe them away. “Are you scared of the future, Tetsurou?”
Kuroo blinked, his mind a scratch record once more as it replayed his first name over and over. He moaned, burying himself into Tsukishima’s shoulder. “Maybe I should be with a soulmate like you…”
Tsukishima giggled, humming into the crook of Kuroo’s neck. He felt the raven shiver at the touch. “I love you.”
“Mm,” Kuroo grinned wide, peppering Tsukishima’s nape with kisses, making the blonde squirm. “I love you too.”
Tsukishima laughed breathlessly as Kuroo moved from his neck to his lips once more, and they stayed there together as the sun set slowly behind them.
“Kei,” Kuroo breathed, a hint of anxiousness in his voice.
“Mm?”
“Can I try something? Let me know if you don’t like it.”
Tsukishima blinked, about to ask what before he was gently pushed against the wall of the gymnasium, Kuroo’s leg slotting between his easily. His breath hitched as he felt the raven lean into him, breath ghosting over his skin.
“Tets—”
A breathy exhale was all he got in response and Tsukishima felt heat pool in his stomach. They had just been making out for at least five minutes, but in all the times they’d kissed, Tsukishima had never heard Kuroo breathe like that.
“Kei,” Kuroo whispered, his hips lining up with Tsukishima’s. “Kei, you’re really here, I can’t believe I got to meet you, finally. My Kei.”
Tsukishima squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to level his breathing, but, to no avail. He felt his own hips matching the slow grinding motion of Kuroo’s before he could even stop it from happening.
They were supposed to be getting back. They needed to return.
Yet, this, this was his entire world right now.
“Kuroo!”
They froze, hands stiffening around one another in shock as they heard a loud, booming voice call out from around the corner. It was Bokuto, but he didn’t seem to know where they were. He called out Kuroo’s name a few more times before Tsukishima tried to pry himself away from the third-year.
As if anticipating it, Kuroo tightened his grip around Tsukishima and ground their hips together roughly. Tsukishima bit back a choked gasp. Bokuto called out Tsukishima’s name this time.
Then, all at once, the blonde felt his voice die in his throat. He knew he was breathing heavily, but he didn’t hear a thing, only the beating of his own heart in his head and Kuroo’s labored breaths.
“I’m not letting him hear you.”
It was only with an afterthought did Tsukishima realize Kuroo had silenced him.
The thought alone was enough to churn his insides, making him feel hotter and heavier than he had ever felt. Kuroo had finally used his own powers on him, in a possessive way that made Tsukishima’s head spin. He grasped the raven’s black hair and buried his head into the crook of the man’s shoulders, shuddering slightly.
When Bokuto’s voice faded away into the distance, Kuroo peeked up at the blonde, grinning in embarrassment. “Probably shouldn’t have done that. W-was that okay?”
Tsukishima swallowed dryly, nodding. He wasn’t sure if Kuroo was referring to the grinding or silencing, but either way, it didn’t matter.
Heck, it was more than okay in both cases.
“I wanted to hold you for a little. I know it’s only been a week, and I didn’t want to do anything too… but, I’ve just had so many fantasies, and god, you’ve surpassed them all with just that already—”
Tsukishima shook his head, cupping the raven’s face in his hands. He ignored the heat in his face that had come from the thought of Kuroo fantasizing about him. “You’re okay, shut up.”
Kuroo smirked. “Gladly.”
They came together once more, a messy collision of tongues, arms wrapped around each other grabbing, pulling, tugging, a desperate need for more, more, more.
Too soon, they heard more frantic calls for their names and they pulled apart, a little disheveled and unkempt, but an afterglow of contentment around them. Without a word, Tsukishima took out his phone and handed it to Kuroo who took it, typed in his number, and handed it back quietly.
“Text me?”
Tsukishima nodded, pocketing his phone and taking Kuroo’s outstretched hand. They walked hand in hand back to the front of the school where the buses would be gathered.
“You can send other people your stream of consciousness thoughts.”
“Hm?”
“Your powers,” Tsukishima elaborated, feeling a little self-conscious over revealing it. “If—if you think about someone while you’re hearing that white noise in the background, like, really concentrating on that person, you can share what you’re hearing with them. It has similar conditions to your powers in general—it only works for people you are in the same room with.”
Kuroo paused. “Wait, that’d mean…” He turned to Tsukishima, looking way too much like the happiest man in the world. “You, you’ve been thinking of me all day.”
Tsukishima flushed, spluttering. “Of course, I would, y-you’re—I love you, so.”
“I love you too, Kei,” Kuroo said, voice shaking with joy. “I can’t believe, I—”
Tsukishima turned away, face even hotter than it had been while they were grinding against each other. “W-why can’t you believe it, I’m your s-soulmate, you’re such a dork.”
“I am, but I’m yours!” Kuroo sang cheerily, kissing Tsukishima’s cheek with barely contained enthusiasm. Tsukishima smiled down at the ground, distrusting his voice to say anything back without getting too emotional.
Once they got closer to the school entrance, Tsukishima slipped his hands away from Kuroo’s, suddenly feeling very embarrassed.
“Tsukishima, are you alright?” Daichi ran up to him once they spotted each other, concern clearly etched on his face. Tsukishima blinked back at him, perplexed.
“Yes?”
“Oh, good,” Daichi breathed out in relief. “Yamaguchi said you were having some stomach problems. Did…” He eyed Kuroo out of the corner of his eye. “Did he help you?”
Tsukishima flushed, realizing his friend had gone out of his way to cover him. “K-Kuroo-san brought me some painkillers. I’ll be fine for the bus ride.”
“That’s good,” Daichi smiled and Tsukishima silently thanked the stars it wasn’t Sugawara who had greeted them. His captain turned to address the rest of their team. “We’ll be leaving in two minutes, get on the bus!”
In looking around, most of the Tokyo teams had already left and the only people left were from Karasuno, Nekoma, and Fukurodani. Tsukishima felt something brush his pinky and he looked down to see Kuroo’s hand lingering hear his.
“I hope you have a safe trip back.”
“Yeah,” Tsukishima said, feeling as if he were floating on air. This felt so unreal, after seven days of being with Kuroo, to suddenly not see him or be near him now. He didn’t want it to end.
Karasuno started piling into the bus with some of the more excitable members rushing on first, and banging their heads on the rails above. Tsukishima lingered a moment longer, biting the inside of his mouth and staying close to Kuroo for as long as possible.
In the end, his time came as he was only one of three people still not on the bus. Asahi had run off with Nishinoya for a bathroom break, but he was bound to return soon. Tsukishima had to board the vehicle as well, yet still, he remained stuck there by Kuroo’s side, like some annoying gum on the underside of a desk. It was a pull he felt that he couldn’t describe.
This soulmate ordeal really was out to kill him.
“God, this is so fucking hard. Why does he live so far away?”
Tsukishima blinked, turning to see Kuroo with his hands clenched, his jaw set, and his eyes fixated forward, glaring at the bus as if doing so would halt its progression. The blonde’s eyes softened at the sight, and he exhaled softly, effectively grabbing the raven’s attention. To know that the third-year felt the same way was enough to keep from falling apart.
“Thank you, Tetsurou.”
“For what?” Kuroo stared, a sheepish smile on his lips.
“For being my soulmate.”
Kuroo’s cheeks perfectly matched the red glow of the setting sun. He laughed lightly, looking beside himself with glee. “No, thank you for giving us a chance. Thank you for you, Kei.”
“Quickly, quickly!” Nishinoya’s voice sounded out at a distance and they heard the pitter-patter of heavy footsteps run towards them.
Tsukishima sighed, reaching over briefly to squeeze Kuroo’s fingers in his and then letting go just as swiftly.
“Let’s hang out soon.”
“When?” Tsukishima asked, fearing he might sound impatient, but feeling as if he wasn’t able to spend even a single day without seeing Kuroo’s face. Kuroo smiled that small grin of his that Tsukishima adored.
“Next weekend? I’ll call you.”
“Every day.”
Kuroo blinked, then his lips quirked up in an unmistakable giddiness. “Yeah, I’ll call you every day.”
Aware that others were probably looking at them, Tsukishima raised a hand to the side of his mouth as if he were about to tell the raven a secret. Kuroo leaned forward and with his face hidden behind the blonde’s hand, Tsukishima gave him one last kiss.
It was short and fleeting, but it held fast to their hearts. Tsukishima knew it would hold him over until the next time they met, without the rest of their teammates.
He couldn’t wait.
By the look on Kuroo’s face, Tsukishima knew he couldn’t wait either.
As Asahi and Nishinoya boarded the bus, Tsukishima followed after them, eyes never leaving Kuroo’s. The raven seemed to be glowing in the light of the setting sun, his eyes shining with hope, his lips upturned, and cheeks flushed as he waved the blonde goodbye.
Tsukishima sat in his seat next to Yamaguchi, ignoring the pointed look he got from his freckled friend. The hum of thoughts from the rest of Karasuno were already flooding into his brain, but he knew that by the time he had reached Miyagi, he would be reunited with his own superpowers.
As if this entire week had never happened.
But, it did, and Tsukishima knew he could never erase the memories he made with the raven. He would never be able to forget the softness of Kuroo’s eyes, and his smile, and his hands as gentle fingers brushed his. The way that the raven had accepted all of his insecurities and even divulged a couple of his own, the way they had shakily held hands, ready to face the unknown together. Even without the physical proof of their time as soulmates, Tsukishima knew in his heart that this wouldn’t be the end.
And honestly, he couldn’t wait for a future where he’d get to see Kuroo every day for the rest of his life. Watching Kuroo wave from outside the bus as the rest of Nekoma started to pull him away, Tsukishima was more than certain that that day had only just begun.
There’s a curious thing that happens when two people meet.
Tsukishima understands it well.
One soul meets another…
…and they fall in love.