17 somehow it's you somehow it's peaceful somehow somehow somehow

"Hurry hurry, Tsubasa! We're almost late!"

"L-Late for what?! K-Koutarou, it's in the middle of the night! What if mama-"

The thick shrubbery cut the girl off. Hastily sifting through some towering field of grass and weeds, Tsubasa squinted her eyes to a close as she and Koutarou pushed through the greenery. It was only when the girl tripped and landed on a flattened area did the boy look back at her.

"Look, look, Tsubasa! C'mon, stand up!"

Grumbling in annoyance, the little girl stood shakily and patted down her grass-stained nightgown. Finally, Tsubasa took notice of what seemed to be warm golden light painting her existence, and curiously, she looked up. Her eyes twinkled in awe at the flashlights that brightened the area around her, where a red and white checkered blanket sat atop a flattened area of the otherwise spiky field. In the middle of it all, surrounded by her three friends, was a box of cupcakes and a pile of wrapped boxes.

"Happy birthday, Tsubasa!" Koutarou finally exclaimed, pulling out some paper horn from his pocket and blowing it obnoxiously.

Kenma winced at the loud noise, but nodded at the girl anyway. "Happy birthday, Haku."

Finally, Tetsurou stepped up to the girl with one of the boxes – the biggest of the pile – in his hands. He crinkled his nose teasingly at the girl. "Late to your own birthday party? Rude!" To betray his offended remarks, the young boy grinned gently and pressed the box into her arms. "Happy birthday, Tsubasa."

And all the girl could do was blink slowly at her best friends. Amidst the stress of her violin lessons and upcoming music competitions, the girl had completely forgotten that her eighth birthday was just within reach. Now that she was there, however, in that field of weeds by the river, everything precious to her came flooding into her existence, only to exit as crystalline drops streaking down her face.

Immediately, the boys panicked upon seeing their girl crying rather than boasting about her new age, but they composed themselves when she smiled some wide, toothy grin and yelled her thanks.

So the midnight of May 21st proceeded with smears of cupcake frosting and the careful tearing of messy gift-wrappings, and just like that, the rest of the world was unimportant.

"Bokuto, it's your ball!"

"E-Eh?! D-Dammit!"

And the ball was smacked right into the net. Bokuto landed with a clumsy thump as he watched the ball bounce on the owls' side of the court. Such an ending had him sinking to his knees and pulling at his hair, crying apologies to both his teammates and the ones that were currently missing.

"E-Everyone, I'm sorry! Tsubasa, Akaashi- I'm sorry!"

Ah. The owls frowned slightly at his cry, with the cats sighing simply to themselves. Quickly, Coach Yamiji called a time-out so that his team could try to get their ace back into shape. Everyone knew, however, that that would be a lot harder with those two missing.

When Konoha had awoken early that morning, he had found Akaashi stirring restlessly beneath his futon cover. Broken by a cold sweat with contrastingly-steaming cheeks, it was evident that the strong and sturdy vice-captain was down with a fever – a fever of 38.6 Celsius. Such a high temperature had nearly everyone predicting the end of the world, and those with just a little bit of sense ended up giving somewhat reasonable directions.

As such, Akaashi, at the moment, was at home – a fact that Kuroo almost laughed at in victory. No owl vice-captain meant a weakened team, a dejected Bokuto, some wins here and there, and enough opportunities for the cat to linger over and around a certain white-haired girl in hopes of patching things up. As awful as it sounded, Kuroo was more than eager to a day without the owl vice-captain.

Until he learned that Tsubasa went home with the sickly boy with the purpose of nursing him back to full health. Such a thing most likely meant tucking him in and out of bed, going grocery shopping and returning to his home, maybe even preparing the bath - and being domestic in every damn sense of the word.

For Akaashi.

Which was already an infuriating idea – but the fact that Tsubasa was more than eager to take care of him and bring him back intip-top shape had Kuroo's hair sticking up more than usual. She was always the one getting sick, and as far as Kuroo knew, she had never really been on the healthier end of the stick; it would serve as no surprise if the girl ended up in bed as well.

(The girl was obviously trying to avoid Kuroo, and it was so obvious that even Bokuto was cringing.)

((And naturally her avoidance was hurtful, but probably what hurt most was the fact that Kuroo himself never had Tsubasa take care of him before.))

(((He was jealous.)))

It was now nine in the morning; Tsubasa and Akaashi had left at seven (Bokuto, who had carried the sick boy home, protested and worried the entire trip) and as far as everyone knew, the girl truly was there taking care of him. Kuroo tutted to himself with a burning mixture of irritation and insecurity, and he turned away from the owls in frustration.

Ah, I don't like this.

With the owls, Konoha smiled shakily as he patted Bokuto's back and offered distracted words of comfort. Ah… Of course Akaashi fell sick. Pressure from school, club, family, and then suddenly, he's in love. I guess anyone would get sick from all that.

Similarly, Sarukui thought to himself, Even Akaashi's human. To think that we're his senpai and we completely overlooked that fact is a little… shameful.

And to top it all off, Komi laughed uneasily as he weakly punched encouragement and support into Bokuto's bulk. Man, this is kinda our fault. We were having too much fun. Sorry, Akaashi!

…ah. Those three were bowed their heads dejectedly, prompting Washio to look to them.

"Oi, chins up," the sturdy middle blocker said. The three of them glanced up in surprise. "This is your guys' faults. You better own up to it. I'll be sure to report how we do today to Akaashi when he gets better."

Almost immediately, Komi and Konoha were bristling on the spot, and they began patting Bokuto's back harder and at a quicker pace - so much that the ace yelped from their abusive support.

"We don't need you to tell us that, Washi Tape!" Komi hissed with childish anger. "We're men! We own up just fine on our own!"

"That's right!" Konoha yelled. "We don't need Akaashi either- I'm good enough to take his place for now! Right, Saru?!"

The monkey-faced male deadpanned at the two. "No. You're a giant child. The both of you."

"What was that?!"

And they both sent Bokuto flying with a synchronized slam into his back, and awkwardly, they all blinked at each other. As Sarukui went to helping the dazed ace back onto his feet, Konoha coughed into his fist clumsily.

"Right, so we're owning up to our mistakes," the blonde said, just as the whistle blew and they were reentering the court. "Let's make today a good one! I don't want Akaashi kicking my ass when he's back!"

And the lot of them were cheering on their agreements as they got into position.

"Osu!"

He really looks like his mother, was her main thought.

The Akaashi household was a simple two-story house of pale blue walls, dreamy white curtains, and nostalgic picture frames. Soft birch floorboards accompanied everything in between in delicate coordination, and the scent of lavender was fresh. The morning was beginning to fade away as time entered the ten-in-the-morning range; Tsubasa had made already breakfast for the Akaashi siblings (in which both Miwa and Isao competed to see who could help Tsubasa the most), and as such, those two were lazing about in the living room with their homework.

(Initially they were trying to see who could complete their work first, but somehow, it evolved into a contest to see who could craft the best paper crane out of their papers.)

((Considering the group of five perfectly-folded paper cranes, Miwa was in the lead.))

Anyway, this left Tsubasa tending to Akaashi, whom Isao had changed out of his sweaty clothes and into something cleaner. As for Tsubasa, she was more or less still in her pajamas; her hair was unbound and she wore the same navy sweater from last night, while she traded her shorts for the club's jersey pants. She almost wished she had kept her shorts; somehow, everything felt suffocating.

Regardless of personal feelings, Tsubasa sat on the edge of Akaashi's bed where she was currently taking his temperature. With the thermometer stuck in his armpit, the girl couldn't help but snicker at how his room seemed oddly him. Being big enough to make room for what was essential, the blue walls accentuated the dark navy curtains and bed-set. A volleyball was pushed off into the corner alongside some dumbbells, while a desk sat pushed against the wall between his closet and nightstand. Its simplicity and essence for necessity was oddly endearing. The thermometer beeped.

38.3, was the new temperature. It had the girl grinning crookedly as she broke into a nervous sweat. Well, that's three degrees lower. Better than nothing, I guess.

Ah. The girl groaned and threw her head back to cry aloud, "Keiji, hurry up and get better!" She then fell forward and face-planted into his blankets. "I want your comfort…"

…ah. And there was the truth. Truth be told, she didn't want to be at the gym anymore – not after that discussion from last night. Snapping at her childhood friends was one thing, but then forcing herself to come out with all of that was another thing. In short, she was tired. Too tired to deal with people demanding things of her, too tired of having to explain herself. It seemed to her that the sickly boy right next to her was the only one who gave her the time she needed to get herself together, and although he was down with something as dumb as a fever, she still found comfort in his presence.

Tsubasa huffed and shifted onto her left cheek so that she could stare at him; through her own wispy locks, she pouted at his flushed face, but ultimately, the childish expression crumbled to make way for a concerned frown. Keiji doesn't seem like the type to get sick when it's almost summer.

Tsubasa scooted closer to him and brushed her knuckles against his cheek. Akaashi mumbled once more. Sheesh. What's so heavy upon your shoulders that it's got you down like this? Idiot. Only idiots get sick.

I wanna talk with you. You always say the right things, unlike that idiot Tetsurou. Jeez…

And she dropped her arm to rest it across his chest, figuring that she might as well take advantage of the situation when she could. She liked hugs. Hugs were nice. Nice and comforting when words could not be exchanged.

It's not fun seeing you like this.

"Mm… Sorry…"

Tsubasa blinked. She sat up quickly to get a better look at his face. Seeing nothing different or out of place, she frowned in confusion.

"Keiji?" the girl prompted gently, now moving to poke his face. She chortled. Squishy.

He grumbled back in response. Tsubasa smiled as his head nodded towards her, as he had been facing the left where the wall and window was. She then blinked – once, twice, three times, and a fourth.

He's crying.

"Hn… Miss you…" he uttered, so softly that the girl's ears strained. Tsubasa observed the lone tear rolling down his cheek. "Mum…" She froze.

Ah.

He misses his mom.

And for many minutes, she sat there. Silent. Contemplative. Maybe even troubled. Does he dream of his mother often? She was troubled. If not, then it'd be mean of me to wake him. Tsubasa watched his face for more tears, and when she found them coming once again, she lifted her hand. I don't wanna take this from him. A feather-light touch had the tears gone, and she smiled slightly.

I bet his mother was lovely.

"Keiji, what are you dreaming of?"

The little boy perked up as a hand caressed his cheek. He was caught beneath his home's bay window overlooking the ocean churn in the distance. A somewhat grey day called for pouting clouds and whiny waves, but despite the obvious gloom – and despite his obvious cold – he smiled. His mother joined him on the white cushions, where she wrapped his small body up in a grey blanket.

"You're sick, my love," she said softly, hugging him to her chest. "You should be in bed."

"Sorry, mum," the boy responded as they began watching the ocean together. "And you're wrong. I'm not dreaming of anything. I'm awake right now."

"Oh, but my love, you could be daydreaming. Surely that is what I meant."

"Oh, surely? Then…" Keiji smiled as he turned to his mother. "I was daydreaming of my new sibling."

The woman, known as Akaashi Ishiko, smiled widely. Her deep blue eyes gleamed with excitement and she hugged her first child even tighter. "Ah, what a wonderful thing to daydream about. You and Isao must be excited, yes? Perhaps the newest Akaashi will be a girl this time. What shall we name them, my love?"

"I-I can help pick a name?! Ah-" Keiji leaned back from his mother and pulled his shirt over his face, where he sneezed abruptly. Sniffling with a pout, the boy grumbled at his little cold. "Mm…"

Ishiko laughed gently at the boy and leaned down to press a loving kiss against his crown. She then stood with her hands outstretched, prompting the boy to reach for her.

"Come, my love. Let's get you back to bed. When you're better, we can talk about names, okay?"

Keiji nodded eagerly at that, just as he grasped the tips of her fingers. Dropping off the white cushions and onto his feet, Keiji stumbled as suddenly he was looming over the woman that was his mother – or perhaps, she was someone else. He blinked slowly. Curiously.

"Keiji?"

His hand, larger than he last remembered, reached for the woman with the purest of intentions. Gently, Keiji secured a long lock of white hair between his fingertips, and he squinted to find the woman's face.

And he smiled when he found his mother staring back at him, just as loving as he had last seen her.

"Mum," he murmured dreamily, drowsily. "When… did your hair get so white? Ah…" And he lifted the ends of her hair up to his lips, kissing them delicately before releasing them. "How beautiful…"

Ba-thump.

Tsubasa blinked dumbly. She gave her chest a weak pat, wondering what her heart was doing.

The door opened then, revealing Isao as he straightened out his shirt. "Yosh, I'm ready~" The boy blinked at Tsubasa, who stood abruptly with a small gasp. "What's up, nee-chan? Is nii-chan worse?"

The girl shook her head. She smiled. "No, no. He's just… talking in his sleep, I guess. But his temperature is steadily going down. Let's get going."

And they were exiting the room. Lunchtime had just passed with a simple pot of curry, and with the refrigerator basically empty, Tsubasa and Isao were off to go grocery shopping for dinnertime. Miwa, having eagerly stuffed herself with the curry, was out cold in her bedroom with the family dog, thus leaving the two teenagers to leave the house peacefully. The journey out of the neighborhood was filled with a light chatter that washed away the anxiety caused by Akaashi's sudden fever.

"I was just wondering, Isao," Tsubasa said suddenly, turning to the boy curiously. Ever so slightly, her cheeks went taut with caution. "Is that beautiful woman in your family photos your guys' mother? I kinda just assumed..."

Immediately, the young boy nodded enthusiastically, his smile as wide as the sky above him. "Yeah, that's right! Mum was super beautiful! Miwa and nii-chan really take after her!"

Tsubasa's smile relaxed. "Yeah, they really do."

"Right~? They've got her curly blue hair and eye color. And then here I am, mostly taking after our dad." The boy pouted. "What a pain."

The girl giggled before she reached up to poke his cheek. "But from what I can see, you've got the shape of your mom's eyes. Very round and curious, just like Miwa. Keiji's got sharper eyes, you know?"

At that, Isao blinked. His vast smile broke out once more as he nodded. "That's right!" The boy then proceeded to unknowingly ruin the mood. "Nee-chan, what about you? Do you look like your mom at all?"

Ah. Tsubasa's smile went taut as she quickly turned to him, her eyes closed shut as she hastily shook her head. "Nope. Not at all. I take after my father completely."

"Is that so? That's cool too!"

As Isao went on about how his class was coincidentally learning about the workings of genetics and inherited traits, the girl was grinning darkly beside her internal demons.

As if anyone would want to look like that woman.

Upon making it to the supermarket, the two of them split up so that they could make it back home quicker. While Isao went off to the meat section, the girl strode towards the produce area of the store. It wasn't busy, considering how they were quite a few hours away from dinnertime, and for that, the girl was thankful. She never fared well against stressed mothers fighting to get the last cabbage during the rush hour sales just five minutes before closing.

"Miwa-chan doesn't seem to like normal potatoes…" Tsubasa murmured thoughtfully as she looked around the vegetable-filled section. Tsubasa smiled as she gathered the needed vegetables, and she turned to meet up with Isao.

She yelped as she rammed into a person.

"Oh, excuse-" She paused.

Yousuke blinked down at her. She blinked back.

…ah.

And without a second thought, she turned on her heel to speed away from the young man, only for him to latch onto her hair (she knew she should have knotted it up in a bun).

"Geez- would you fuckin'-" Tsubasa yelped as the older Bokuto pulled her back, slapping his large palms around her cheeks and tilting her face back. "-stop running?!"

"Run- running?!" Tsubasa swatted her fists wildly, only for the male to dodge them swiftly. "Who's running? I'm not running! You're running!"

"Yeah, running out of patience! Look-" Trapping her in a headlock, Yousuke reached into his pocket and fished out some small box. He dropped it into her grocery basket before releasing her, spinning on his heel to huff an annoyed breath. "Stubborn brat! Sheesh…"

Tsubasa gawked as the young man stalked off after that, muttering profanities beneath his breath while he disappeared into the snack aisle. She quickly pulled herself together to gaze into her grocery basket, and seeing the small box haphazardly rolled in birthday wrapping sent her into shock. A rush of guilt immediately flooded her mind and quickly, almost desperately, the girl looked up in search of the young man she had been painfully avoiding.

She then sighed, confused and defeated, and turned back to the vegetables at her side.

I really am the only one running away.

"What do you think Tsubasa's up to right now?"

Kuroo paused. With both teams sprawled along the cool wood of the gym floors during break, the cat captain was just a few seconds away from chugging his water down before Bokuto plopped down next to him. Almost indifferently, Kuroo shrugged.

"You tell me. Don't you have some crazy ESP when it comes to her?"

"G-Geh- well-" Bokuto grumbled as he pressed his elbows atop his knees. "When Tsubasa's with Akaashi, I can't really read her."

Kuroo perked up. "Oya? What do you mean?"

"She just- she's different around him!" the male then exclaimed, flaying his hands out in exasperation. "It's like- yeah, she acts the same and talks the same as if she's with us, but- but somehow the face she makes with Akaashi is… different. Like she's more relaxed." Almost immediately, Bokuto's gaze narrowed with agitated confusion. "But why would she be more relaxed with him? It's not like he knows her like I do…. If anything, that should make it harder for them to get along, right?!"

Hazel irises flitted away. She's probably more relaxed because he doesn't know the things we do – he probably doesn't even ask her or push her to tell him anything. Damn it.

I still can't believe I pushed her like that last night.

"Oi, Kuroo…" Bokuto drawled suddenly, leaning over his elbows to peer at the other male's darkened face. "You're gonna apologize to her, right? For last night?"

Kuroo frowned and leaned back on his palms. "Pft, of course. Even I know when to suck up my pride and apologize."

"Why'd you push her anyway? I mean, it's nice we're all caught up and everything, but…"

"I just-" Care too fucking much. "I just want her to rely on me. As a friend."

"…hm. Hey, Kuroo."

"What?"

"If Akaashi had lovey feelings for Tsubasa, what should we do?" Kuroo's heart thumped, some Bokuto's innocent-self was completely oblivious to. "'Cause she doesn't really believe in things like that, you know? She says it's fake."

And the second-hand rejection was enough to remind the young man of his place was in life – certainly not next to the girl he loved no matter how much he cared. Kuroo huffed and collapsed onto his back, with one arm folding over his stomach while the other shielded his face.

"Then she should break his heart and tell him that."

Yeah. Break his heart, just like mine.

It was eleven-thirty at night.

Tsubasa left the Akaashi household after dinner, as promised. While Miwa begged the older girl to spend the night with her and maybe help with all the homework she folded into origami, Tsubasa had no choice but to respectfully decline; she had both school and work tomorrow, and considering the stress on her mind due to certain events, she needed some time to herself before she dealt with anything else. As such, the white-haired girl was situated in the workshop behind her music store.

Her workshop, which had made its appearances before in the past, was located in a backyard-like area that accompanied the entirety of Powder. It was fenced in by black, metal bars that had vines and other shrubbery for natural decoration, ultimately completing the unique appearance Powder had in the first place. The workshop was truthfully a large, wooden toolshed that more or less served as the home away from home, and resting there now, in the late hours of May 20, was Tsubasa.

At the moment, she was sprawled out on some rickety leather couch that nearly blocked off the entrance to the shed, still clad in her clothes from the day. While the fairy lights keep the entire shed warmly lit, the interior was messy beyond belief, with unfinished journals and sheet music obscuring the floor. A counter supported the back wall of the shed, and while the occasional block of wood or collection of woodchips decorated the countertop, the actual wall where mysterious tools and supplies hung was covered by some raggedy cloth.

If one bothered to look closely, they could see the faint shape of violins trying to break through the cloth. Unbothered by the history all around her, Tsubasa tossed a small box up into the air to catch, before repeating the process with some distant gaze.

Yousuke-san looks well, huh?

She caught the box and turned it over between her fingers, before tossing it once more.

I guess he would since he doesn't know anything. But then, why would he be so angry at me? I've only truly ran away from him once- or I guess, twice today. But that's not really reason to get so angry, right?

Maybe he already knows.

The box slipped past Tsubasa's fingertips and dropped onto her forehead. With pursed lips, the girl lowered the small box and finally moved to sit up. Leaning against the rugged arm of the couch, Tsubasa carefully pulled the colorful but messy gift wrap away, where she proceeded to lift the lid of the box. Her eyes caught a number of words written inside the lid.

'for ur stupid hair. happy birthday. come over tomorrow for dinner, fam wants to see u. dumbass.

love, yo-nii.'

Tsubasa's eyes were immediately watering. Inside the box amidst a silky white cushion was a collection of black hair-ties. Inspecting one curiously, Tsubasa found they were stretchy enough to accommodate for her thick hair, and strong enough to hold it up. In short, it was a box of normal hair-ties. Tsubasa gazed at the small mundane thing with a look of surprise, before she ultimately giggled and slapped her forehead.

"It's exactly the same as every other hair-tie I have," the girl laughed as she held the box close to her heart.

Yo-nii's such a jerk, she thought lovingly. Quickly, Tsubasa pulled her hair into a low-lying ponytail, where she relished in the feeling of having her hair tied up. After having her hair down for the entire day, it brought her relief to finally have the long, heavy locks up in place, even more so with Yousuke's gift. Stupidly, she smiled to herself and leaned back against the couch, with the box of remaining hair-ties placed safely on the table in front of her.

I'll go face him the next time we meet.

And then a rapid succession of knocks sounded against the toolshed's door. Tsubasa yelped in surprise as she looked down to where the door was. Before she could shout a reply, a muffled pardon my intrusion could be heard, and before she knew it, the door was opening quickly. Her eyes widened.

Akaashi stood there, at the entrance to her workshop, with the slightest breathy pants. His dark hair looked messier than usual, and he was clad in the clothes Isao had shoved him into before Tsubasa left their home. A face mask obscured his neck, and he huffed tiredly with the obvious signs of a lingering fever. His shoulders heaved heavily and he lowered his head. Tsubasa's lips parted slightly at the sight of the boy.

Keiji?

"What-" Tsubasa tripped running toward the boy, reaching a hand out to check his temperature. "What are you doing here?! Keiji, you're still sick-"

He grabbed her hand and held it securely. Tsubasa blinked at the burst of warmth that was born from the physical contact, and she paused. Eh?

Before she could question her feelings more, Akaashi sighed roughly and slouched. He sniffled as he panted. "S-Sorry- give me a second…"

Ah. Tsubasa's eyes twitched at his haggard voice. "See?! You're still sick! Go home-"

"I know-" Another heavy breath, and he continued. "I know I'm not… Bokuto-san, or Kuroo-san or Kozume, but…" Tsubasa's eyes widened slightly as Akaashi lifted his face, revealing to her his own trouble expression of shiny irises and the slightest frown. "But you told me that you'd like to spend your birthday with someone- anyone. Knowing that, how can I possibly leave you alone? Sick or not, such a thing in unacceptable."

Tsubasa was gaping, her eyebrows ascending and jaw unhinging in pure disbelief. How was it that this boy she'd only known for a few months was pushing himself beyond his limits for a kid like her, swathed in selfishness and desperation? How lucky she must have been to have found Akaashi's existence in those dark times of hers, to have his companionship to – companionship?

The girl blinked. Her heart thumped annoyingly within her ears.

Somehow…

It feels different.

And then all too abruptly, she snapped out of it with an embarrassing flash of red. Her ears tingled with bashful hues and she slapped the boy's shoulder, ultimately smiling and giggling to herself.

"Wha- that's so embarrassing to say out loud!" she cried, finally hiding her burning face in her hands. "Y-You didn't need to do that! I'm- I'm fine…"

"I made you birthday korokke," he then informed her, completely disregarding her blatant lie. Tsubasa, still grinning stupidly, narrowed her eyes at him through her fingers.

"Really? But you're sick."

"I can manage many things when I'm sick." He almost sounded smug. Tsubasa huffed.

Why is it Keiji, and not Koutarou or Kenma or Tetsurou?

The question had her batting her eyelashes curiously. Was she suddenly hurt with the realization, or relieved? Her wide smile twitched. With her hands falling and her fingers pulling at each other, she mumbled in return, "Is… it time already?"

Akaashi looked up to the ticking clock on the wall. The time read 11:54.

"Not yet; six more minutes left."

Tsubasa hummed simply. The tension within her heart slowly eased up as the situation began to ease itself into her mind. Ever so slowly, thoughts of Kuroo and the other two melted away to be replaced with the boy in front of her. It really is Keiji.

Somehow... I don't feel upset.

11:55 PM.

A gentle tug of her hair had the girl back in reality. Akaashi patted her head softly, almost as if apologizing for pulling on her angelic locks.

"Can I set up your present?"

The girl blinked up at him. "H-Huh? Set up? Wait, you got me something?"

"Of course. It'll only take a minute or so."

"U-Um, sure, I guess…"

And he smiled. Tsubasa blanked out (at the grin) as he gently took her hands from behind him and held them tenderly. He then led her over to the couch, where she sat quietly. He gazed at her with a look of inquiry.

11:56 PM.

"Tsubasa-san, you're not afraid of the dark, are you?"

"Eh? Ah- no. Not anymore."

His grin returned quickly. "Then, please close your eyes and wait patiently."

Tsubasa's eyelids fluttered at the request, before she followed through without a fight. Had it been Kuroo or Bokuto asking her to do that, she'd have sparked some verbal argument just for kicks, but with Akaashi, the girl found herself wanting to keep the peace. Still, she slapped her hands over her eyes when her face began to burn with the thoughts.

11:57 PM.

A rustle of plastic had the girl's ears twitching. She immediately caught the sound of gentle thumps atop the small, square table in front of her, and anxiously, she squirmed on the spot. She heard a trail of familiar footsteps then echo around her workshop. An odd feeling, tingly and gently-explosive, erupted in her stomach. Tsubasa pursed her lips.

Somehow... I kinda feel nervous.

11:58 PM.

She wriggled on the spot anxiously. If there was a shift in the atmosphere, it seemed as though Tsubasa was the only one to take notice. The previous air was warm and fuzzy, like it usually was between the two, but somehow…

Somehow, it seemed slightly more intimate than usual.

The darkness then seemed darker and heavier in that quick minute. It also felt colder, and all the girl could do was assume the boy had unplugged her lights. She heard his footsteps returning to her.

11:59 PM.

And then, as if it were magic, all the warmth in world was right in front of her. The faintest blue glow poked through the spaces between her fingers to tickle her eyelids. Akaashi's voice reached out to her as the lightest weight rested atop her thighs.

"Tsubasa-san?" he prompted gingerly. She gulped as she felt him gently grip her wrists to lower her hands.

"Y-Yes?"

"Open your eyes."

And so she did.

As she had guessed, Akaashi had unplugged all of her fairy lights, but everything after that was beyond her knowledge. He kneeled before her on one knee while the other leg squatted, with his hands tenderly cradling hers and guiding them to the small weight on her lap. After tearing her gaze away from Akaashi's irises, which were impossibly bright in the darkness, she lowered her gaze to her lap.

Her eyes widened.

12:00 AM.

"Happy birthday," Akaashi breathed airily, "Tsubasa."

It appeared to be a lamp, cylindrical in shape and weighing virtually nothing. Paper - or perhaps it was some thin, light-weight cloth - wrapped around the plastic cylinder from the inside where the light bulb presumably sat in the middle of it all. What was most alluring were the little shapes cut into the fabric, allowing the soft, yet gleaming azure light to stream through. Akaashi's voice reached out to her.

"Look up."

And she did. A breath of awe immediately left her as she found projections of stars and sea animals swimming around them to illuminate the darkness. Tsubasa's irises brightened alongside their underwater universe, and a wide, genuine grin once again broke her face. She excitedly looked down to Akaashi and gripped his wrists, tugging on him energetically before looking back up.

"Keiji it's the ocean! It's the ocean!"

He smiled, his eyes squinting slightly due to the action. "Yeah. It's the ocean."

"It- it really-" She looked back to him.

And she froze.

Tsubasa's beaming smile faded gradually as their gazes locked with each other easily, as if it were natural. The glittering blue light engulfing them had the boy before her illuminated in a special light - a different kind of light. The extravagant shades of blue twinkled playfully in his irises, further accentuating the wavy locks of his dark hair as they glinted like real tidal waves. Tsubasa's heart beat stuttered.

He looks like the ocean.

And ever so slightly, a lovely scribble of pink decorated her cheeks. Tsubasa blinked once more, even slower than the last.

Huh?

"Tsubasa-san?"

She blinked dumbly. Akaashi frowned worriedly at her sudden silence, and obliviously leaning closer, he waved a hand in her face. The girl stilled.

Oh.

He's really close.

"Are you okay?" Akaashi prompted, sitting back on his heels. Tsubasa nearly sighed in relief at the space, but found herself also missing the lack of it. "Perhaps… Did I get you sick?"

She sputtered. "H-Huh? Oh- no, not at all! I'm just… hungry."

Akaashi smiled slightly. "Well, good thing I made sweet potato korokke too."

"C-Can we eat them now?"

"Of course."

Akaashi turned to retrieve the bento box he had filled with the girl's favorite food, as it sat atop the small table behind him. With his back turned to her, she shook her head rapidly to rid whatever unknown feelings were currently poking her heart, and just like that, she was back to her energetic self. She perked up when Akaashi handed the bento box to her.

"Keiji, push the table back!" she said, securing the bento and lamp atop her lap and pointing a finger.

Akaashi did so curiously, just as the girl leaned back into the loveseat to make herself comfortable. She then patted the spot next to her violently while gazing at the male expectantly, and with the quietest chuckle, he sat beside her. Tsubasa pressed the back of her head into the cushions.

"Ready?"

Akaashi blinked at her. "For wha- ah!"

The male suddenly found himself staring up at the illuminated ceiling as the loveseat leaned back abruptly. Tsubasa had pulled a lever on the outside of the sofa to set it in its reclining position, ultimately throwing the two of them onto their backs. Before they could grin at each other however, something like gears clashing sounded beneath them.

Suddenly, they were leaning back even more as the arms and cushions of the loveseat relaxed in a way they weren't supposed to. Surprised yelps escaped them as the back of the loveseat fell against the ground, tossing their legs into the air.

"Did it break?" Akaashi prompted, propping himself up on one elbow. He blinked as Tsubasa laughed aloud, holding the lamp high over her head.

"This is the best!" she exclaimed with a giggle. "It's like a bed now!"

Akaashi, despite the furious blush atop his cheeks, grinned at the girl. "That's true."

Tsubasa beamed at his agreement before scooting closer to him just a little bit. Laying on her stomach, she reached up so she could set the ocean-themed lamp above their heads on the dusty wooden floorboards, while Akaashi took the bento and removed the lid. As soon as they both settled onto their backs, Akaashi allowed the girl the first piece of korokke, before taking the second piece for himself.

"Uwah! These are good!" Tsubasa exclaimed as she finished the first piece. "I didn't know you knew how to make these," she then said as she reached for another.

Akaashi licked his fingertips clean before reaching again as well. "I asked Masumi-san for the recipe. Miwa doesn't like normal potatoes, but she likes sweet potatoes so I figured the recipe would come in handy."

"She has good tastes then!"

And the two of them were leaning back to enjoy their third piece of korokke. Their eyes rested above them where shapes of whales and comets swam over their heads. The atmosphere was thick and heavy, but not with anything tense or foreboding. It was a giant blanket, woven quickly but delicately with the threads of growth and tender warmth. Such a feeling had sleep prodding at their systems, and they smiled softly.

"It's beautiful," Tsubasa murmured, her eyes gently becoming lidded. Akaashi nodded.

"It is." Not as much as you are, though.

"Where did you get it? And how much did it cost you?"

Akaashi's grin broadened. "It didn't cost me anything. It was a gift from my mother that I had stored away for years. I found it while I was cleaning some time ago and thought you might like it."

Tsubasa perked up at the information, and she turned to him quickly. "Really? You're okay with me having this?"

He turned his head as well so that he could nod while looking directly into her eyes. "Yes. There's no one else I want to have this."

And before she could protest, he returned his gaze up to the underwater cosmos above them. Well-deserved and long-sought peace completely blanketed their souls at that moment, and eventually, they found their hands resting on their stomachs as they gazed into their universe. Akaashi yawned sleepily as time continued on with a comfortable period of silence. When Tsubasa finally took notice of the quiet between them, she curiously turned her head to where the boy was.

Ah, she thought, eyeing the soft rise and fall of Akaashi's chest. He's sleeping.

Tsubasa carefully rolled onto her side so that she could watch the boy closer. Her irises followed the curve of his cheeks to the sharp angle of his jaw, where she found her eyes captured by the playful flow of his hair. Her gaze eventually rested on his eyes, slightly baggy from exhaustion, but nonetheless closed peacefully. Tsubasa felt her eyelids growing heavier as she matched Akaashi's breathing.

Hm…

It's warm.

It was five minutes past twelve in the morning.

Standing outside of the apparently-empty apartment was Kuroo, who had been knocking on the door rhythmically for the past ten minutes or so. There was no response. The group chat that consisted of him and the other childhood friends continued buzzing noisily in his pocket as Bokuto texted out every character of Happy Birthday into the chat, with Kenma interjecting to tell him to stop. Tsubasa had yet to make an appearance in the chat.

Kuroo held his breath, before he slowly lowered his fist. He leaned his forehead against the cool door. I don't think she's ever really been mad at me. No wonder this sucks so much.

He took another minute for himself, before he took a deep breath, turned on his heel, and moved to descend the staircase. He shoved his hands into his pockets, only to wince slightly as the corner of a small box scraped against his fingers. Kuroo then rolled his eyes and continued on, trying to shove the present into the back of his mind. That was enough pain and heartbreak for one weekend.

His knuckles were red from knocking.

word count: 6,969

the longest a/n ever:

oh. my god. oH. mY GOD? HELLO? HI GUYS ITS ME, YA GURL, GLASSES CLOTH. WHAT IS UP. HOOOO SHIT MAN LET ME EXPLAIN MYSELF.

Um. So I am so sorry. I REALLY AM YOU GUYS DON'T UNDERSTAND, BUT LEMME TELL YOU, LIFE REEAAALLLLY LIKES TO PLAY WITH YOU. OKAY SO last time, I told you guys that I dropped out of college and went back home! AND I DID. And man, when you drop college and go home to your mom and your like "oh no what do i do with my life now" and your sobbing every day in bed, the depression that hits you is like a truck. Like ten trucks. So that period of depression was rough, but when I finally pulled myself together I got a job! And that was cool and all, for a little bit.

but then my college called me in july and they were like, "hey, you loser. we know you left and all but did you know you were only four classes away from getting your associate of science degree in comp animation? we know you were aiming for your bachelor's instead but finish what u started, prick."

(the guy didn't actually say that, he's actually quite nice, but that's what it felt like.)

i cried. in public. but then I was like, "YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK IT. IM GETTING THAT ASSOCIATES, AND IM GONNA MAKE MY GODDAMN MONEY WORTH IT."

So yeah! I'm still at home with my mother but I've been finishing up my degree online, and this November is actually my last class! If I pass, then I'll graduate on the 20th and walk that stage like the fucking goddess I am. But even more than that, I've also been taking classes from a local community college so that I can also earn my normal Associate of Arts degree, just in case I really can't find a career in the entertainment/art industry. Adding to that, the system is fucked and I've had to start paying my student loans even though I'm still in school. I've juggled two jobs at some point, ended up dropping back to one, and just recently I've earned a new job that pays more than the first one I had, and now I am adjusting to this new job environment!

Basically, I'm at two colleges with a new job, might end up taking a second job depending on my family's needs, and... yeah, that's about it. Guys, it's been crazy.

But that's enough about me! Let's talk about the fic, 'cause it's been a long fucking time!

I had to go back and read the entire fic because when I sat down to re-write this chapter (I had a draft saved from like six months ago), I couldn't find a flow from the previous chapter and it was driving me crazy! This chapter has gone through like three re-writes and even now I'm not sure if it's good, BUT I PLAN TO ROLL WITH IT. I'm so nervous to put this up, like honestly where did my confidence go.

Oh, but in reading my entire fic, I've come to realize that? This story? Is actually quite dramatic? I didn't plan for that lol. LIKE, I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY CONSIDERING WHAT I'VE MADE TSUBASA GO THROUGH, BUT I DIDN'T PLAN FOR IT TO BE DRAMATIC? IT JUST KINDA HAPPENED? Also, I've realized that I kinda ramble with my descriptions? I didn't- I didn;t know? Do ya'll even like that wtf? I'm sO dumb?

Guys like I didn't even know that the fic was burning so slow, how come no one told me. (this is a joke please don't hurt me). LIKE IN REGARD TO ROMANTIC FANFICS, I DID NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THE TERM 'SLOW BURN' REFERRED TO A SLOW REALISATION OF ROMANTIC FEELINGS, I LEARNED THAT FROM MY FRIEND. I am, the dumbest piece of shit, aaaand you guys are gonna have to bear with me.

Because I will finish this. ERASE ALL YOUR DOUBTS, because this will get done.

...it's just gonna take some time. But guys. MARK THIS CHAPTER. BECAUSE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF TSU'S FEELINGS. SOMEONE RECORD IT IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.

I don't know when the next chapter will come out, but since I plan to stay home and continue working towards my normal AA degree from my second college after I graduate from the first college, I imagine that I'll have more time to write properly. Honestly, it all depends on how the universe feels about me. OH BUT GUYS QUICK QUESTION. WHEN THE HELL DID THIS GET 80 FOLLOWS? TALK ABOUT EXCITING. I LOVE HAVING MY OWN LITTLE GROUP TO CONFIDE IN, THIS IS SO COOL.

ANYWAY- that's all for now! I haven't been writing consistently so please feel free to leave a review and break my heart with critiques because I am so soft and so stressed but I am always looking to improve! For the new followers, WELCOME TO THE CLOTH, do enjoy the ride 'cause it's always crazy here! For my old followers, HI IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN THANKS FOR STAYING, and for all of us stressing about life and how the universe hates us, let's remember to take a breath and take a break. We all need it, I'm sure!

Thanks for reading all this bullshit, thanks for your love and support and concern, your reviews (trust me I read all of them), follows and favorites, and mostly, thanks for putting up with me! I'll see ya next time!

-glasses cloth