Series: Haikyuu

Pairing: TsukishimaxHinata

Genre: Romance, Humor

Rating: PG-13/T

All original characters belong to Haruichi Furudate.

"Yamaguchi, I think I'm ill…"

Yamaguchi turned his head to look at his much taller friend.

"Well that's a surprise. You rarely get ill..." Yamaguchi wrinkled his nose. "What are the symptoms Tsukki?"

Tsukishima turned his head a little, like he didn't want to look at him.

Yamaguchi knew Tsukishima for a very long time. He probably know more of Tsukishima's secrets than even Tsukishima can suspect him of, so he knows exactly when his friend lied.

Maybe it wasn't a lie at all, but in Yamaguchi's opinion Tsukishima looked just fine. Tsukishima looked normal.

"My heart is beating weirdly fast."

Yamaguchi moved closer because Tsukishima was talking quietly. Although Tsukishima do not talk loudly often, his voice is almost a whisper now. Not to mention, Tsukishima wasn't looking at him. They were going home from training so maybe Tsukishima just wanted to stare at the street.

"Anything else?" Yamaguchi prompted and his friend twitched. Twitched! Like he wasn't sure of something.

Maybe Tsukishima is ill after all.

"My hands sweat a lot." Yamaguchi nodded. "And I can't think clearly." Yamaguchi nodded again. "And I have this twisting feeling inside my stomach."

Yamaguchi stopped walking and allowed his brain to completely digest this information. Slowly the pieces of information moved to fit the puzzle and then (it could be only his imagination but he was almost sure he heard it), everything clicked.

Yamaguchi couldn't stop the sudden burst of laugh that escaped his lips.

He didn't pay any attention to their surroundings, but he was conscious that Tsukishima was giving him now the hardest death glare he had in his arsenal. But Yamaguchi didn't mind that.

He had always thought of Tsukishima as calm and coolly intelligence, more brains than brawn. Yet now everything crumbled down with this new information.

"What is so funny Yamaguchi?" Yamaguchi knew his friend's angry voice well enough to not recognize it.

"It's that- It's that-" It was hard to form a proper sentence when you are out of breath. "You can be really stupid sometimes."

He felt the dark aura that surrounded his friend and it finally put him in place. Yamaguchi felt goosebumps on his arms and his mouth went dry.

Yamaguchi lifts his face to look at his angry blond friend. He could almost see the black waves surrounding him. There is a sharpness in Tsukishima's eyes. Yamaguchi swallowed down the saliva in his throat.

"Okay, sorry Tsukki. Calm down."

He was under inspection of Tsukishima's piercing eyes for a few minutes until slowly, tension in his friend's shoulders die down.

"I'm calm." Tsukishima's eyebrow twitched. Yamaguchi could only sigh at this sight.

"Okay, let me ask your first." Oh boy, Yamaguchi laments, this will be harder than it seemed. He never thought that he will be explaining that kind of things to his friend. Yamaguchi is well aware that he of all people have no experience, but still…

"Do you have this symptoms-" The word sounds weird "-near some person? And I mean one person only?!"

The look on Tsukishima's face was precious. Too bad Yamaguchi didn't take out his phone earlier to snap a shot of this because he was sure he won't get to see that expression anymore. Maybe.

His friend stared at him, wide eyed and mouth agape. Tsukishima had a dumbfounded look in his yellow orbs. Oh he should've taken a snapshot!

At first Yamaguchi thought that Tsukishima will deny it and for both of them to forget about this talk about his weird not-illness thing but he was wrong.

Suddenly, Tsukishima struck a thinking pose and turned away. He even started to murmur something to himself.

Yamaguchi rarely see his friend doing that, but now is the few times Yamaguchi gets to witness this. Yamaguchi knew exactly what Tsukishima's behaviour mean. His friend is seriously thinking it over.

He felt another laugh bubble inside of him but he tried to hold it back.

Tsukishima turned to him and in a quiet and serious voice asked him, "What if I do?"

Okay, here comes the hardest part.

Yamaguchi took deep breath. "You aren't ill." Yamaguchi began.

Tsukishima blinked at him a few times. "Then what is happening?" Tsukishima blinked a few times and looked like he had finally came to a revelation. "Wait I know, you don't have to tell me."

A voice in Yamaguchi's head told him that this is definitely bad, but he moved with the flow.

"Yes, so...?"

"I'm probably allergic to that person."

Yamaguchi didn't know if he should facepalm himself, laugh or just sit down in a corner and cry. It wouldn't be this bad if Tsukishima had not said it in his serious voice.

To everyone else, Tsukishima was a jerk. Tsukishima was a person with no feelings and someone who only said sarcastic things. But Yamaguchi knew better. He know Tsukishima too well sometimes. Unfortunately, he also know that Tsukishima could be as stupid as Hinata in this case.

"No Tsukki you are not allergic or ill." Yamaguchi assured after awhile. Yamaguchi gestured wildly. "I think you've probably fallen in love with someone."

Once again Tsukishima stared at him for a few moments with even wider eyes than before, and burst into laughter.

Okay, this is officially weird.

Yamaguchi stood still on the way home with his friend who was definitely in love and had started laughing maniacally like Yamaguchi had said the best joke in the world.

Yamaguchi nervously tapped his foot on the ground until his friend stopped laughing and finally looked at him.

"Okay, that was funny. I'll stick to allergic part."

Yamaguchi sighed. This will take far more than he expected.

Love. Funny. He wasn't in love. Pfft, where did Yamaguchi get that idea from? It was ridiculous!

He was never in love with anyone. The only thing he did was judge someone when - and only when - Yamaguchi asked him what he thought of someone. But love.

Tsukishima clenched his hand. He crossed his arms, gripping onto his sweater. He bit his lip.

His eyes trailed after that one person who was still on the court. This certain someone was the main reason for all this weird feelings inside of him.

It was embarrassing but Tsukishima had no experience in that love topic. Zero. He remembered some girl asking him to be her boyfriend or something like that but he had rejected her. He never felt this something for someone else.

His eyes trailed Hinata's small posture that had stopped in his tracks to yell at Kageyama.

Tsukishima was thinking about him all day, whenever he appeared in his sight or walked next to him, and even when he wasn't even there.

"Hey Tsukishima, practice receives with me!"

When Hinata appeared in front of him (too close) Tsukishima almost jumped. Good thing that he could control his movements.

"What?" He snorted.

Hinata bounced in place, probably with excitement. Hinata stared at Tsukishima with a giant smile and eyes sparkling so much it almost made him blind.

Oh no, it is starting to rise. His heartbeat rate increased, his hands started to sweat, his mind started going crazy and his stomach is probably turned up-side down.

He felt all these things in this few seconds until Hinata answered.

"You know, tossing, receiving, volleyball? Ringing a bell inside your head?"

Only that it's going crazy when you're so close.

He didn't know how he did it, but somehow his mind acted for him, like a saviour, like he had a back-up plan all along in case something like this happened.

"My specialty is blocking. So I can block all your spikes, but I don't think that is what you wanted to practice."

Hinata moved back and then showed him tongue.

"Buhu stupid Tsukishima! I'll go practice with Sugawara-san then!" And then he turned around and ran to the silverhaired boy who had been talking with their captain.

Tsukishima stared as Hinata ran away and felt something in his heart. A small sting.

He was sarcastic. It was part of his natural behaviour. So why now...?

But it all disintegrated into air when he remembered Hinata showing him his tongue.

Tsukishima quickly turned around and walked to the toilet, hiding the giant blush that creeped onto his face.

"Okay Yamaguchi, I think that there is possibility that you're right. But just a little tiny bit!"

Yamaguchi chuckled as he heard the quick addition Tsukishima made at the end.

They walked back home after another training, a few days after their last talk. To tell the truth Yamaguchi didn't know if Tsukishima will ever talk about this topic ever again. So he was surprised. But his feeling of surprise is mixed with curiosity.

"Sooo who is this lucky person?"

He watched with amusement as probably for the first time in his life (and he really wanted it to not be the last time) he saw his blond friend blush.

One more time he didn't take out his phone to take a picture. He must be cautious next time, because he felt more things could happen now, when Tsukishima agreed with him.

"Not gonna tell."

Well this answer was so Tsukishima.

Of course, he was curious who actually stole his friend's heart. It was big enough to bug him for the rest of his life. But Yamaguchi actually wanted Tsukishima to finally have some private and romantic life. He was in high school, he should think about that kind of stuff too right?

"Sooo have you made any moves?"

Tsukishima furrowed his eyebrows. His glasses moved down his nose and Yamaguchi was able to see Tsukishima's eyes fully.

"What am I? A desperate high schooler?"

Yamaguchi only sighed.

"Well you're a high schooler Tsukki."

"Don't be so smart, Yamaguchi."

Sometimes speaking with Tsukishima was hard. Even for him and he knew that very well.

"Okay but," Yamaguchi was interrupted by Tsukishima's low whisper.

"It's fine. Only looking at this person is fine. I don't need to make any moves now."

Yamaguchi blinked a few times and stopped in his tracks. Tsukishima continued walking, not even turning back to see that Yamaguchi had stopped.

"It's fine."

Come on. Sometimes his friend acted like a giant child. A giant child that know nothing about the outside world. Or in this case, in an emotional world of his own.

"You will want something more!" Yamaguchi shouted when he caught up to Tsukishima, but he wasn't sure Tsukishima heard him.

"I won't make any moves now. It's stupid. He doesn't even like me!" Tsukishima murmured to himself.

He was crouching near a trashbin not so far away from his home. But the reason he was sitting in this kind of place is right in front of his eyes.

There, on the ground, sat a white cat with black and brown spots on its back. The cat was eating food that Tsukishima bought from the nearest convenience shop.

He tilted his heads to one side while he stared at the cat.

The story behind it is simple. When he walked home after school he spotted the cat searching for food in a trashbin near his house. At first he moved closer and the cat ran away; probably scared by him. The same situation happened again after that. After that Tsukishima bought the cat canned food from a nearby convenience shop and put it near where he last saw the cat. He moved back to not stress the cat, but he decided to hide and wait for a while to see if the cat will actually eat it.

To his heart's content, the cat walked out of a bush and run to it. The same thing happened a few times. And then one evening when he walked near the same place he found cat sitting there. Not only that, he was welcomed with the cat's loud mew.

From that moment on, he dropped by the area almost everyday and bought food for this cat. Overtime, he even managed to calmly pat the cat's back, but when he tried to pick it up and maybe bring it home, the cat freaked out, hissing at him and breaking out of his grip to disappear back into a bush. It didn't come back that day.

By now he was totally fine with only petting his small friend.

The cat suddenly lifted its head to mew at him.

"What?" He growled at him - or her (he wasn't sure, he had never owned a cat) but cat didn't run away at that sound. "I don't have more. Tomorrow I will bring more if you want..."

The cat moved to brush its head on Tsukishima's palm.

He liked the touch of soft fur on his skin. It was like a soothing balm.

The cat purred into his hand.

Suddenly Tsukishima imagined that this isn't a cat, but that he is petting Hinata's head.

Tsukishima broke.

"Nope! No movements."

He moved his hand back and found out that the cat had disappeared.

He stood up and walked back home.

At first it was easy. Simple. Just don't move too near and don't move your hands. He thought that maybe he will be able to do it until - until some time ago.

At first it wasn't so bad.

But it happened suddenly. Hinata ran to him when they were taking a break from training. He was babbling about blocking and training, but Tsukishima was not listening to him. Most of the time he tried to listen to Hinata (even if just some words) but now was different.

He saw Hinata shaking his head vigorously and some bangs fell weirdly onto his forehead. Sometimes it would be normal to brush stray hair away from someone's forehead. But he rarely do that to anyone.

And now he couldn't move his eyes away from Hinata's fringe. He felt his hands twitch and he really need to gather all his strengh to not just move the stray hair away.

He didn't know why he felt like it. It wasn't really pissing him off nor was he uncomfortable to see it. Tsukishima felt like touching it.

To just feel its texture. They looked very soft.

"Don't you think so?"

He had totally no idea what Hinata had said so he nodded and turned around to run away from any more questions.

When Tsukishima sees Hinata's face, he smiles a lot (but he didn't want someone else to see him smiling like- like that whenever Hinata's around). When Hinata walked to him or they coincidentally met each other on the corridor sometimes, he felt an urge to touch Hinata. To touch Hinata's arms, pat him on the head and caress his cheeks. They looked so soft.

It became harder to brush away the thoughts of touching Hinata.

And when they were having a meeting with the captain, Hinata had sat next to him. Maybe because the only free space was next to him, or maybe because Kageyama sat next to Tsukishima. He paid no mind throughout the meeting. Tsukishima missed half of what Daichi was telling them then.

The only thing that occupied his mind was Hinata's hand resting on the floor, a little behind his back, near his crossed legs. It was easy to observe them, because they were in the corner of his vision.

Hinata's palm was definitely smaller than his. This thought made his heart stop for an instant and then abruptly speed up. It was like he was running in a race.

Because this small hand will definitely be perfect for his own.

Tsukishima, for the first time in his entire life, felt an urge to hold someone's hand. To feel its warm, to touch it. But not only that. It couldn't be anyone else's hand. But this one specifically.

He just wanted to hold Hinata's hand and only Hinata's.

Tsukishima bit his lip.

Well f***.

"Yamaguchi, I told you I'm really ill!"

"What is it this time?"

To tell the truth Yamaguchi was tired of his friend's foolishness. I know that this is the first time Tsukishima is in love (probably), but man... Hadn't Tsukishima read any romance books or watched romance films? This boy is totally inexperienced.

"I had this weird urge- like I want to touch this person."

Yamaguchi turned his head to looked at his much taller friend. Tsukishima is looking into the horizon now. He didn't know if this is a good or bad sign.

"So you want something more. Right?" Yamaguchi sighed and crossed his hand on his chest. This is starting to get really difficult. "Well maybe ask her on a date or something like that?"

He saw Tsukishima shuddered. What the heck?

"No, don't need it."

Yamaguchi blinked at him.

"Hey, did you actually talk with her?"

"Sometimes, but rarely."

Okay, so his friend is hopelessly in love with someone whom Yamaguchi do not know because Tsukishima did not talk about her often. Not good. Not good at all. Yamaguchi wasn't a specialist in matters of the heart, but he knew far much more than Tsukishima right now. Even Yamaguchi know that this situation isn't a good thing. When a person is in love, he would want to be close to his special person right? So if Tsukishima barely talk to her or him, it will became hard to hold in his feelings.

Tsukishima is a strong person, but still.

"Can't you try?"

"Nope..."

"Why not?"

But Yamaguchi's question was left unanswered, because Tsukishima sped up.

Tsukishima sighed and moved to pet the cat.

"It's so easy for Yamaguchi. He don't know how hard it is. And he is a more social person."

The cat purred into his hands, opening one eye. Tsukishima scratched him behind its ear.

Slowly, he had started to accept this weird theory of Yamaguchi's, because maybe- maybe Yamaguchi knew better. Maybe.

Okay, so maybe he was in love with dumb Hinata! What now?

They weren't friends in the first place. He didn't even know where this feeling came from. His interest (maybe) in Hinata had slowly spread across his mind, heart and body. Like poison.

No one had made him blush this often before. Whenever Hinata was near him, he loses his sense of rationality. Right then, Tsukishima came to the moment that he really wanted something more.

If only he wasn't so embarrassed to do anything more!

He stopped his movements and the cat looked at him.

Yes, maybe it sounded weird but he was too shy to ask someone out. How do you do that in the first place? It was natural to ask Yamaguchi to go with him to shop or play volleyball. It was normal. Because they were, well, friends. He didn't fell embarrassed doing it. Why was it so different with Hinata?

Sometimes, when he met with Yamaguchi, they spend time alone too.

But- but if he asked Hinata out it would be totally different. It's like a date! And what does one do on dates anyway!?

It wasn't like him. He don't ask people out on dates.

The cat mewed at him and moved. Tsukishima stared at its slim body. Suddenly the cat stopped and turned to look at him. It made a sound, something between a purr and a meow.

"What?"

The cat repeated the weird sound.

"I don't understand you."

Not to mention, it would be weird to ask someone whom he rarely talk with to go out with him. They hardly talk and hang out with each other in school and during training. Tsukishima was often mean to Hinata too.

Man, what a tough world to live in for someone in love (maybe).

"Hey Hinata want to go grab something to eat after practice?"

"Yeah let's go!"

Tsukishima observed Kageyama approaching Hinata. Hinata jumped high in the air, probably from happiness. They walked to the exit while chatting about something.

It was so easy for the setter to ask Hinata out, as it is easy for Tsukishima to ask Yamaguchi out. Tsukishima just couldn't make himself move. His legs were rooted. And the only thing he did was stare at Hinata's retreating figure.

He felt a sting in his chest. Because for Kageyama, asking Hinata out was so simple.

Tsukishima wasn't sure that they would be able to talk normally when it's just Hinata and him alone. He hardly said anything nice to Hinata, only throwing sarcastic comments at Hinata. It was a part of him, part of his natural behaviour. Being sarcastic to Hinata came to him naturally.

Somewhere deep inside of him, Tsukishima was scared that he won't be able to have a normal conversation with Hinata. Even if he was able to, what would they talk about?

So Tsukishima only stood still and stared at Hinata as the ginger-haired boy walked away.

"So any progress?"

Yamaguchi saw Tsukishima turned his head away. He did it pretty often lately whenever they moved to this topic on the way home from school. And Yamaguchi knew the answer to his question that Tsukki did not answer to.

"Come on Tsukki! It's only one question!"

But maybe for Tsukishima, the question was too hard. Because it was Tsukishima's first time in love.

That thought made him chuckle. It was quite fun seeing his intelligent friend act like such a child.

Yamaguchi really wanted to help his friend, but he shouldn't. It was a problem Tsukishima must solve of his own. Yamaguchi shouldn't put his head in places he oughtn't. Not to mention it would made Tsukki very mad at him. An angry Tsukishima is a scary Tsukishima.

"Didn't she show any interest in you?"

Tsukishima turned to him with slightly too-wide eyes but then he turned his head to look forward.

"I don't think so," Tsukishima murmured.

Okay, so this is a problem. But hey, Tsukki is handsome. Many girls probably think so too. Perhaps this girl is really dense. Or maybe Tsukishima is pretty dumb. Or-

Yamaguchi don't even know her name. He could guess forever. He had no hints, no information, nothing! He was totally clueless.

What should he do? They need to moved her heart - Tsukishima needed to do something to catch her heart.

He must-

"Why won't you try showing her that you have a good heart?"

Tsukishima stopped and turned to him. His eyebrows furrowed as Tsukishima frowned at him.

"What the heck are you babbling about Yamaguchi?"

Come on! You can't be this stupid right?! Wait. Calm down.

Yamaguchi felt a vein popping on his temple but he took one deep breath and massaged his temples. After a few seconds, he felt calm enough to explain to his friend.

"I know Tsukki that you often act like a jerk." Tsukishima flinched and his eyes get darker. "But it's part of you. But I also know that you have a good side." Even if this is hard to believe, it is true. "You just need to show this side of you to her. I don't know how. Help her or, well, just show this other side of you that you're not used to to her!"

Tsukishima stared at him and crossed his arms. He bowed his head a little. His eyes were closed.

"Do I have a kind side?"

Yamaguchi facepalmed himself.

So maybe Yamaguchi was right. Just maybe!

He stood at the side of the court with his teammates. The rest of them had a small practice match but he wasn't participating in it. Of course he was mad about being on the sidelines, but it was only a practice match.

Hinata was in the game. Hinata isn't standing far away from him. Now that he thought about it, knowing that Hinata is nearby isn't so bad. His mind drifted.

Something nice. But what? What can he do? He wasn't pretty good in this being 'kind' thing. It's not that he was a bad person (at least from what Yamaguchi told him, he has a kind side). He is naturally talented in being sarcastic but he wasn't talented in being nice. He won't help someone he barely know.

He observed the smaller boy's posture as he jumped to spike ball. He was blocked by Asahi.

"Once again!"

What could he do? Nothing came to mind. It was totally blank! Come on, he can't be so-

Suddenly he heard a yelp and a loud 'thud' sound. It seemed that after Hinata made another spike (Hinata scored that point), the ginger-haired player had slipped and landed not so gracefully on his butt.

A voice in his head told him that this is his chance. His mind yelled at him to move, his heart was beating fast, as if pumping courage into him.

At first it was hard to even move just a little bit, but when he saw Kageyama running from the other corner of court, it somehow became easier.

Tsukishima stretched his hand for Hinata to take.

Hinata massaged the lower part of his back while still sitting on the floor. His eyes were closed. Hinata opened them and stared at his outstretched hand.

Tsukishima know he was sweating a lot. He felt sweat on his hands.

He turned his head to look at the wall. The wall is very interesting at this moment. It was so straight, so normal, so orange, so much like every other walls he had seen in his life. It had no decorations on it and yet it was so interesting.

Hinata grabbed his hand and Tsukishima glanced at the huge smile (although this was mixed with confusion) on Hinata's face. He felt electricity tingling his hand and rushing up his arm.

Hinata's hand felt - nice. Hinata's palm was wet from sweating during the practice game, but Tsukishima didn't mind. It was nice just to hold it.

He snapped back to reality and pulled the boy up. He took one step back. But he was careless. They were standing on the court and it was covered in slippery sweat. Really slippery.

His foot slipped. His hand was wet too. Tsukishima loosen his grip on Hinata's hand and he didn't quite recall what happened.

Only that he landed of his butt.

He heard groans in front of him and opened his eyes.

Hinata had fell down again. Only his elbow is supporting his upper body. He sat straight and started massaging the arm. Tsukishima saw that Hinata's arm became redder than before.

"Tsukishima, that wasn't nice of you," Sugawara chided as he ran to help.

Tsukishima didn't answer and stood up on his own. Sugawara helped Hinata up.

"I'm not good with this 'being kind' thing you know?"

The cat in front of him lifted its head from eating, but quickly returned to it.

He felt horrible. He had a chance to do something 'nice' (at least he think that helping Hinata up is considered nice) but he had ruined it. Great. He really wasn't talented in this section of social life. But of all times-.

Tsukishima clicked his tongue.

He was crouching near the trashbins. He had his legs near his chest and his hands folded and put on top of his legs.

He felt bad about this. It wasn't on purpose and yet- was he really so bad?

Tsukishima guessed that it must be true. He was totally bad at being 'kind'.

Not to mention the look everyone gave him. Okay, he know that he can be mean sometimes, but when he tried to actually help, fate kicked him in the butt. Literally.

He had one chance and he blew it.

"What else can I do?" He whispered more to himself than to his feline companion.

He couldn't think of anything. He felt like he had lost. It was like the only thing he held onto had moved away.

He really was miserable in this case.

"Hey Tsukishima what are you doing?"

Tsukishima flinched hearing the familiar voice. He know it, he know it too well. His body, heart and mind remembered it.

He turned around, maybe too quick for his own good. Because suddenly he felt like he was kicked by an elephant. Very hard.

There, stood the orange-haired boy in their Karasuno uniform. He was holding onto the bicycle's handlebar.

His mind couldn't understand what was happening. Tsukishima wondered if this is a dream or reality. He was sure that his face was calm as always but inside of him, he was a mess.

What was Hinata doing here? And now? What he was doing in this part of town? He was almost sure he lived in another city! Very, very far away! He wasn't supposed to be so near his house.

He felt as if his heart would jump from his ribcage.

"Hey, are you alive?"

Tsukishimas stood up. Before he could close his mouth he asked, "What are you doing here?"

It wasn't what he wanted to say. Tsukishima wasn't even sure if it was a good idea to ask Hinata this question in such a harsh voice.

But-

Hinata didn't flinch, but turned his head and pointed to his bicycle.

"My mom asked me to buy something from the shop nearby this area. So I agreed and that's why I'm here."

Tsukishima spotted some bags in the basket and nodded himself.

"But you didn't answer me, what are you doing here Tsukishima?"

Tsukishima could say something more productive, but his mind decided to turn off. So he quickly answered, "Nothing."

Great, just great.

Hinata lifts one eyebrow and stood on his tiptoes like he wanted to see something behind him.

Then Tsukishima heard a noise. It wasn't too loud but it was loud enough in this silence. The cat mewed and moved from the corner to stopped near his legs. The cat lift a paws and licked it.

"Ohmygosh it's a cat!"

Tsukishima stared at Hinata. Hinata's eyes widened and filled with sparks that almost made him want to close his own eyes.

Hinata quickly put his bicycle near the wall and ran to him. He then crouched and stared at the cat.

"Is it yours? Oh man, it's so cute!" He said in his cheerful tone and Tsukishima felt his heart beat faster than before. He didn't even know his heart could beat so fast. He was almost afraid that his heart would suddenly stop working from this rush of emotions he is having now.

No, he need to calm down. His body needed to calm down. He closed his eyes for just a second and corrected his glasses.

"No, this isn't my cat. It's a stray, I think." There was so many emotions inside of him at this moment that he is unable to speak. It was hard for him to even form a normal sentence.

Brown orbs stared at him and then it turned once more to the cat.

"It's so cute though,"

Suddenly he turned his head in the direction of a trash bin. Tsukishima followed his gaze and found an opened can of catfood.

"You're feeding him?"

His mouth was dry and Tsukishima hadn't trusted himself to speak at all since just now so the only thing he did was nod.

Tuskishima was welcomed with the biggest beaming grin he had ever seen on the middleblocker face.

"You're a nice guy after all Tsukishima!"

He wasn't sure if he should be so flustered over this comment at all, but his body acted without his agreement. He felt blood rushing to his cheeks. He was blushing.

Tsukishima didn't want to show it to Hinata, so he turned his head away.

"It's not a big deal."

But he couldn't look away for very long time.

Hinata was still crouching near the cat. It had stopped cleaning its paws and was staring at him.

"Can I pet him?"

Tsukishima didn't know how to answer to that. It wasn't his cat. He didn't even know it for very long. Just a few weeks.

"I don't- know?"

It was awkward to stand there and only stare at the boy under him. He was happy, but at the same time he wasn't feeling comfortable.

Hinata moved and showed his index finger to the cat. It stared at the digit with its irises. The cat stayed still and looked like a concrete figure for a minute before it took a step forward and draw its head forward to smell Hinata's finger.

Hinata let out something between a giggle and chuckle.

"You have a wet nose."

Tsukishima stared at this scene with awe. He didn't know much about cats. He thought that the cat would run away from a stranger. Although the cat still looked uneasy, it moved to him.

He didn't know what to say. He was thinking about one or two sarcastic thing to say, but he couldn't think of any. So he was left with nothing.

"It's cute~"

Hinata moved his hand a little more and touched the cat's ear. It stared at him now with more cunning eyes, until Hinata scratched behind its ear.

Tsukishima took a step and crouched next to Hinata. He was welcomed with a surprised look.

"What? My legs got tired."

Hinata brushed it off with shrug and turned his attention to the cat near him.

The cat moved and meowed at Tsukishima. It rubbed its head on his knee, leaving a trail of his white fur.

"It really like you," Hinata tells him.

The cat purred and turned so Tsukishima is now scratching its back, near its tail that is standing straight.

"Did you thought about taking it home?"

Tsukishima hummed, it sounded like something between a sigh and annoyance.

"I tried to pick it up, but it always get frightened and run away from me." He mumbled.

"Maybe-"

But Hinata didn't ended his sentence as the cat suddenly stood up and made a few quick steps into the bushes. When the cat neared the bushes, it turned to Tsukishima, closing its eyes slowly and made the weird sound.

"What?"

The cat made the sound once more. It then sat down and hang his head. The tail swished about.

"What do you want?" Tsukishima asked, frustrated. He wasn't mad at the cat, but the mewing is pissing him off. He knew the cat wanted to tell him something but he couldn't guess what that was.

"Maybe we should follow it."

Tsukishima frowned.

"It is worth a try!"

He couldn't find a proper answer to that. Not to mention, Hinata could actually be right. He had never walked after the cat.

They stood. Tsukishima moved closer to the feline.

"So, where do you want to go?"

The cat lifts its head and meowed at him. He stood up and jogged after the cat.

Tsukishima didn't know why, but he felt an urge to turn around. Hinata still stood there with a smile plastered to his face and hands in his pocket. He moved his arms as he walked after the cat.

Hinata caught up to Tsukishima and the cat.

What Hinata said was slowly starting to became reality. Tsukishima had never in his life thought that he would be led somewhere by a cat. But this is happening now.

The cat was taking a few steps while meowing from time to time. Once or twice it stopped and turned around, like it wanted to see if they were following him. It moved quickly, sticking near walls.

At first they walked on the streets. Then they turned right and walked forwards. Tsukishima found that his heartbeats are fast, but the reason behind it is his emotions. If someone were to tell him that he will be led by a cat, Tsukishima would probably laugh. But here he was, following it with his teammate from volleyball club. They walked on the streets until the cat turned and disappeared inside a yellow bush.

"Well, I think this is the end of road," Tsukishima murmured as he kneeled and stared at the hole in the branches that the cat disappeared into.

"What is this house?" Hinata asked.

Tsukishima got up and stared at the old building behind the wall. He walked past the building a few times, but it had never really caught his attention.

"Empty house, I guess."

Hinata stood on his tiptoes and tried to look at what was over the fence but he was too small to see.

"Okay Tsukishima this is what we do. You kneel down and I get on your arms-"

But Tsukishima wasn't listening to him as he walked a few more steps to the white gate. He caught the handle and pushed the door. It cracked, but opened when he used a little more strength.

"Or we can just use this gate."

Tsukishima stared with delight as Hinata's cheek turned into darker shade. Hinata ran to him.

"I guess this is fine too," He mumbled and passed Tsukishima.

Inside they found an overgrown garden that no one had pruned or nurtured for many years. The small house stood in the center. Every window was empty and covered in dust. But the building emanated an aura that no one lived there.

Tsukishima glanced at the house. Hinata was making his way through the garden. He was staring at the building with his mouth agape.

"What do we say if someone catches us?" Hinata asked, he was not even looking at him.

"This place is uninhabited. No one will catch us."

Hinata nodded.

"Yes, right."

Tsukishima was sure that what he had said was true (he didn't know-know it but he had probably deduced it correctly), but the atmosphere around the house affected him and he wasn't so sure anymore.

"Let's find this cat."

Tsukishima walked to stand next to Hinata. They stood in the middle of the tall grass and looked around.

There was no sign of the stray cat. There was no sign of its steps.

"What do we do?"

Tsukishima didn't quite know what to do in a situation like this. If they would find a glimpse of cat, this would be much more easier, but it was nowhere in sight. It was like the cat disintegrated into air, after it had passed the fence.

They stood in the middle of the garden for a minute or two in silence, until Tsukishima finally heard it.

A quiet meow. The one small kittens make.

His ears twitched. At first he was almost sure that it was the sound of the wind playing with grass and leaves. He lift his hand to stop Hinata from making any sound. He closed his eyes and listened.

He heard it again. And Tsukishima is almost sure now.

He put his index finger near his mouth. Hinata stared at him with beaming eyes, as if they were on some kind of adventure and he was ready to go.

Tsukishima started to make small steps in the direction where he heard the noise. After a few meters he stopped near the fence and kneeled down. The grass here were more dense but not as overgrown. The grass didn't reach his knees like just how. He slowly bend the grass away.

"Oh my," Hinata whispered behind him.

In front of them lay three kittens and their proud mother laying down next to them, licking the smallest one.

This was... unexpected.

After a quiet debate between them, they decided to take the small kittens with them. Tsukishima wasn't sure if that was a good idea but the cat had led them here. It was almost like the cat was asking them to find this place and her small kittens.

When they pick the kittens up, their small mouths opened and they all whined and cried. It almost made Tsukishima loose his grip, but Hinata was right there to calm him down.

He quickly took off his uniform and formed something like a basket to hold all of them. They fit in perfectly. Bu the cats were still crying.

Tsukishima tried to pick up the cat. It still tried to run away from him, but now he held onto it firmly. They don't have a choice now, do they?

With the additional baggage, they walked out of this place to the empty street.

"What should we do now?"

Tsukishima already knew. He wasn't sure if it was the best decision though.

"My house is nearby-"

"Good, so let's go!"

Hinata followed him, holding onto the three small kittens in his arms. He was staring at them with a giant grin that showed all his white teeth.

He liked that look of pure happiness on Hinata's face.

They walked the distance between the place and Tsukishima's house in good time. From his pocket, he somehow managed to take out keys even with one hand occupied and put them into the lock. It clicked.

They walked inside Tsukishima's house. The hall is a normal corridor with white walls and few paintings hanging on them (most of them showing landscapes and flowers). The door was covered in panels. At the end stood stairs that led upstairs to rooms of all of the Tsukishima family. Down to the right were two doors, one was opened and a small head was sticking out of it.

"Oh welcome back, Kei! I see you brought friend with you and-"

His mother exited the kitchen while still talking to him. Then she saw the cat he held in his arms. She then sighed.

Tsukishima never asked his mother about animals. He never felt the urge to have a pet, so he wasn't sure what his mother would say about this.

She stared at the proud mother and three sleeping kittens in Hinata's hands and shook her head with a small smile on her lips.

She said that she will prepare something for them to eat for them. Tsukishima turned and nodded at Hinata to follow him to his room.

After the excitement wore off, the usual burning sensation that was in his cheeks and chest returned with twice as much power. He was currently leading Hinata to his room. He wondered if he had cleaned it this morning.

He felt that he had a problem putting one foot after another on the stairs and he almost slipped twice. But then, he put his mind together and somehow managed to walk upstairs.

"It's the last door," Tsukishima murmured.

He felt like facepalming himself after that because he is just leading Hinata to his room. What was the meaning of him saying this? Did he grow retarded because of all these feelings? Come on, what was happening.

With his arm, Tsukishima pushed the door to reveal his room. He sighed in relief that his room wasn't the mess he imagined it to be earlier.

It was almost cleaned, only a small corner of his room stood his tall pile of books and CDs he hadn't put back onto shelves but that was okay. His room looked okay.

To the left was his bed covered in blue quilt, next to it stood his desk with a laptop that is currently being charged. The rest of his room's walls were covered with one big wardrobe and smaller shelves filled with books and CDs. It's a normal boy's room. At least he though so.

"Where can I put them?"

Tsukishima jumped and turned to his companion who was still staring at the small animals with pure happiness written all over his face.

Tsukishima put down the mother cat.

Tsukishima, until just now, had no contact with any small animal so he didn't quite know what to do.

"Do you have any basket? Where can I put them?"

He moved to the wardrobe and from inside it, he took out a box filled with his old clothes. He took half of the contents out.

"Is this good?"

Hinata nodded and slowly put the kittens down to rest on Tsukishima's old clothes. One whined, the second one meowed and the third was quiet. Their mother walked to the box and looked inside it, then she decided to jump inside.

They stared as she moved in a circle and then finally settled down.

Tsukishima was totally calm now. Well maybe not that calm, because Hinata was in his room. They were alone in his room.

He never thought that this could happen. And he totally didn't know what to do.

He turned his head a little and stared at his teammate's bent form.

Hinata had a really nice profile with his small nose and lips that always form a smile, and fringe that almost gets into his eyes.

"They are cute."

Hinata turned his head to him and Tsukishima found himself looking away abnormally quickly. But his body acted on its own.

Then he heard the smaller boy whisper, like he was scared or shy about it, "Can I... visit you tomorrow?"

Tsukishima felt as if his heart could stop beating at any moment. His mind couldn't take it, it had blown a fuse. There is too much feelings in one second for him to work properly. So the only answer he gave was very smart, "Eh?"

Nicely played, mind.

Maybe it was just his imagination but Hinata's cheeks were tinged into a delicious pink color.

Wait, what- delicious? His mind really have some serious issues right now.

"You know- help you with them and..."

And what?

Hinata didn't end his sentence, so Tsukishima only blurted out.

"Yeah, why not."

And Hinata graced him with that giant grin once more.

Seriously, Hinata will give him a heart attack someday.

He couldn't sleep at all. Not because the cat kept mewing into his ear (the mewing stopped when Tsukishima opened the window and the cat just walked out of it, he could only hope that she will return in the morning), but because someone was visiting him tomorrow. Well today.

So he only toss and turn from side to side trying to calm his suddenly hyperactive mind. But it was to no use.

He fell into a light sleep when the sun started to rise from the horizon, but was woken up when he heard another meow from outside his window. He let the cat enter his room.

He returned to bed but wasn't able to sleep at all. So he got up and turned on the computer and waited. Unfortunately, he had too much free time this Sunday morning.

Tsukishima didn't know why he put on good clothes. He just did.

Hinata came like he promised yesterday and Tsukishima was opening the door with his heart beating so loudly, he was scared that his mother and father will hear it from the kitchen.

"Hello!" Hinata greeted in his always-happy voice.

His hands grew sweaty as he closed the door behind the smaller boy.

Hinata greeted his parents (who had raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing, except smile a little when Hinata wasn't looking). And they moved quickly to Tsukishima's room.

Hinata threw his bag in the corner and immediately moved to the litter box and kneeled down.

"Hello, my three little darlings!"

Before today, Tsukishima would be pissed at the tone and sound of Hinata's voice alone, and even in the past, he would comment on it snarkily. But that was in the past.

Now, Tsukishima stood there, staring at his probably-crush (do you call it that or what?)

"Do you want something to drink?"

"Ah tea please!"

He moved like a robot down the stairs and into the kitchen. His mother probably wanted to ask him something but Tsukishima glared at her. She returned to talking with his father. He didn't need questions now.

His father, surprisingly, quickly accepted the thought of Hinata in their house.

He made tea for Hinata and coffee for himself. Tsukishima was sleepy, but didn't want to ruin this one chance he had in eternity to catch up on sleep.

When he returned to his room, Hinata was poking one of the felines - or maybe it was supposed to be scratching - on the belly.

He put the tray with drinks on his desk and moved the mousepad away.

"Tea is ready."

"Thanks," Hinata got up and walked the few steps to get his drink.

Tsukishima moved away, making space for Hinata.

His teammate took the cup gratefully in his small hands and put it near his mouth. He tried to take a sip, but quickly moved it away hissing in pain.

"Ouch hot!"

"What do you expect? That I make tea on cold water?"

Hinata lifts one eyebrow. His mouth formed a small 'O'.

"Oh, you came back. I wondered why you acted so weird lately."

Tsukishima crossed his hands on his chest and shifted his weight onto another leg.

"Why do you mean by that?"

"You know, you were-" Hinata lifts his hand and made a quoting gesture "-kind."

Was his jerk self really so visible to everyone around him?

But what Hinata said was true, he hadn't insulted Hinata yesterday. Did he change? No, at first he was too surprised to form a proper answer and then they got into the whole 'cat searching' thing.

It was also because he was nervous. He rarely, really rarely, had an opportunity to spend some free time alone (alone!) with Hinata.

Just like right now.

"Don't worry. It won't happen too often," Tsukishima smirked a little.

Hinata crossed his arms and sighed in relief. Hinata wasn't sure if what Tsukishima is saying is true or just an act. "Good. I even thought that you were seriously ill."

Tsukishima was reaching for his own cup of coffee but stopped in his tracks. He was really grateful that he didn't have the cup in his hands because he would totally lose control over it as he suddenly coughed.

In front of him is the image of his friend smiling widely at him.

"Who told you that?" Tsukishima asked, maybe in too harsh a tone, but it just slipped past his lips.

His guest tilted his head to the side, unaffected by his sudden outburst. He blinked at him.

"No one. I just thought about it."

Yamaguchi didn't even know about his- love. Tsukishima had never said anything to him (not to mention that Yamaguchi was always thinking his crush is a 'she') so there wasn't a chance that he guessed correctly. At least he though so.

Tsukishima released the breath he was holding until now and finally drank his coffee. It was bitter, just the way he liked it. He wasn't sure if he could swallow anything sweet when he had Hinata next to him after all.

Wait, brain, what the heck? Did he just really thought about that.

He frowned at the flow of his thoughts.

"Something wrong?"

Hinata's face appeared too close in his field of vision. Tsukishima had a problem trying to stay still and not jump away.

In the end only his cup shook and a few droplets stained his shirt, forming three dark spots.

Great, why had he even bothered to wear something good? He was really stupid.

"Ah I'm sorry! It's my fault. I shouldn't sneak on people."

Tsukishima put the cup of coffee away and looked at his shirt. It wasn't so bad, but he didn't want to walk all day in dirty clothes.

So he walked to his wardrobe and pulled out the first shirt that he sees.

He quickly took off his dirty one and put on the clean one.

"I'm sorry!" He heard Hinata apologising for the dirtied shirt from somewhere behind him.

"It's nothing. It's just a shirt."

"In my defense I can say that you looked bad in it!"

Tsukishima felt a sting to his heart. Well not a sting, but that someone shot an arrow right to his heart. He even chose to wear this one today.

He gripped the dirty shirt and decided to throw it away later.

"You look better in this one!"

And the weird feeling in his stomach was back in an instant.

How can one boy made him turn from sadness to happiness with just one sentence? Is he really falling so deeply? Is he really in love...?

He slowly turned to Hinata's smiling face.

Well, f***-

"You really alright? Your face is all red," Hinata pointed at him with his finger.

Tsukishima closed his eyes for a few seconds. He tried to calm down, but probably neither his blush nor the weird butterflies in his stomach are going away.

"No one taught you that pointing your finger at someone is bad?"

"Gee."

Hinata crossed his hands on his chest and turned his head away. Hinata looked like a small spoiled child now.

Not that Tsukishima is complaining.

Somehow, everything worked, but now- they stood for quite some time not talking to each other, staring anywhere but not at each other.

Tsukishima is enjoying Hinata's presence, he really do, but- He isn't good with people. When he was with other people, most of the time, he was quiet and nodded from time to time. He enjoyed peace and quiet when he was alone. But when he is out with friends, he liked listening to people talk from time to time.

He lifts his head and stared at Hinata who was looking at the floor and moving his feet in a circle. Well, it looked…

They heard a noise outside and then tapping and scratching sounds. They turned in unison to the window where the cat sat and had its pawn on the glass.

"Yes, yes I closed the door, I'm sorry," Tsukishima pushed up his glasses as he moved.

He opened the window and the cat immediately jumped inside while meowing at the same time.

She swished her tail straight in the air and ran to the box that stood in the same place as yesterday. She jumped inside of it and woke two from three small kittens up. She licked the still-sleeping one's head.

They walked to them and kneeled to watch.

They didn't talk but now, the silence grew thicker.

The proud mother lay down and her children moved to feed from their mother. She closed her eyes and they were able to see as her chest rises and falls at a measured pace.

Seeing the cat with her kittens calmed Tsukishima down. He wasn't sure what to do with all the kittens. He could only hope that someone from their volleyball team or their friends will take them. Maybe he will ask them on Monday.

"You know, I can take one. And we can ask the team if they could take the others!"

Tsukishima turned to look at Hinata. He is wearing the same smile as usual, but now it was filled with something much brighter and warmer.

Seriously-

His heart pounded and he was almost sure that Hinata could hear it.

One of the kittens whined when the other one pushed it. Hinata and Tsukishima chuckled at this. Well, Hinata giggled while Tsukishima snorted in laughter but it was almost the same.

The atmosphere had changed and they didn't know when, but now, the silence wasn't so bad. Tsukishima found it enjoyable.

He felt the warmth of someone else next to him. If this was anyone else, he would have politely asked them to move a little bit further away from him. But now, he was even happy from being next to Hinata.

He moved his hand at the same time as Hinata and he found his lips twitching into something like a soft smile.

He put his hand on the cat's bark while Hinata rested his hands on its neck. Tsukishima petted the mother cat, unintentionally moving upwards.

And then he felt electricity running through his arm and tingle at his spine when he felt the warmth of someone else's palm on his hand.

Maybe it was just an accident? But he chose to believe that it was intentional.

But now he couldn't brush away the blush on his cheek. His first though was to run away, but he couldn't move any of his muscle, because-

Tsukishima turned his head just a little bit, just a few centimeters because he was curious what kind of look Hinata will have on his face.

Seriously, this boy will give him a heart attack someday.

And yet he couldn't take his eyes away from Hinata's grin; from the smaller boy's pink, fluffy cheeks. Most of all, Tsukishima couldn't look away from Hinata's brown orbs that now shined with something that Tsukishima could only describe as happiness. So he moved his hand a little further to feel more of Hinata's warmth.

"Okay Tsukki, you're acting weird. Something happened?" Yamaguchi turned to his blond friend who was walking next to him.

"What do you mean by acting weird?" Tsukishima countered, ignoring Yamaguchi's question.

Yamaguchi sighed heavily. Seriously, how was this possible that his friend didn't know he's being weird and doing those weird gestures?

"You speed up and slow down very often," Yamaguchi started to count on his fingers "You look at your hand as if it's the eighth miracle of the world-" Here Tsukishima lifted his palm one more time and took a long look at it "You have this dazed look in your eyes." Now, Tsukishima blinked hard like he wanted to brush away what his friend told him "And sometimes you have this creepy-" Tsukishima sent him a glare "I-I mean, almost nice smile on your lips!"

For a pretty long time, Tsukishima stared at him blankly. Yamaguchi don't know what his poker face mean. Was he mad? Embarrassed? Was he thinking about his crush? Was he even thinking right now? Suddenly Tsukishima turned and started to walk fast in the opposite direction. Yamaguchi stood still for a few seconds, not quite understanding that his friend had moved. When he had finally snapped back to reality, Yamaguchi searched for his friend. Tsukishima was few meters ahead of him.

Sheesh, what happened?

Yamaguchi ran to him and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it as soon as he heard his friend muttering to himself.

"Is is that noticable. No, I don't believe it. I acted normally- so why- Yamaguchi-"

Yamaguchi couldn't keep the grin from spreading across his face.

"So something happened! Hey, hey, did you make a move on her? Or was it her? Did you kiss!? Or maybe hold hands?"

Abruptly, they stopped.

Tsukishima lifted his face, like he wanted to look at the sky with closed eyes.

"Nothing happened!"

"That's not true!" Yamaguchi responded immediately.

He knew his friend too well.

Tsukishima moved his head so he was looking away from Yamaguchi's face.

"I told you nothing happened," Tsukishima grumbled and crossed his hands on his chest.

Sometimes he could be like a big baby. And Yamaguchi literally mean what he say.

"I know better! Soooo will you tell me now who she is?" Because boy, was he very curious.

Tsukishima slowly turned his head.

And then small smile appeared on his lips. Yamaguchi didn't like it.

"I never said this person was a 'she'." He said in an almost happy tone.

The piece of information struck him like lightning.

W-w-what the- Was it true? All this time Tsukki had crush on-

"Tsukki wait, you're not getting away with this!"

But his friend was already far away and Yamaguchi thought he was skipping.

So maybe this person wasn't a 'she', but instead is a 'he'. That doesn't matter. What mattered is that Tsukishima won't get away with this little information he gave Yamaguchi.

"Tsukki wait!"

But Tsukishima didn't stop. He sped up instead.

Yamaguchi wondered if Tsukishima had the same blush he had on since the beginning of this conversation.

Yamaguchi thought that mentioning about Tsukishima's blush was a bad idea.

He wondered why? Maybe because for the first time he saw his friend blushing like that? It wasn't a slight pink color, but furiously red. Even Yamaguchi suspect that he would see it in the dark.

He thought that Tsukishima won't be happy if he told him about it.

But he wondered who the mysterious boy is that caught Tsukki's attention.

Tsukishima waited (waited is the wrong word, he was just walking very slowly) for him. He is only just a few meters of him. Yamaguchi finally caught up after a while. Well whoever the person is, they (either Tsukishima or the secret crush) made a move. Everything will be better from now on...

"So, what do I do next?"

Or not.

THE END

Yahoo fellow TsukiHina shippers and every other shipper who read this fanfic :3. Hope you enjoyed this fanfic as much as I did while writing it :3. At first it was supposed to be much shorter fic (for about ten pages :3) and then I added cat part, other parts and it grew up~. But I still hope it is good and it made you smile just for awhile :3~.

I want to thank my amazing beta-reader for checking this fic! This great person is Daphne ! I want to thank you for your hard and I mean really hard work, for your patience, kindness and that you just did it! You don't even know how grateful I am (I know I write it to you like thousand times but it still true!). I had great time talking and answering all questions! Hope you enjoyed this a little bit too :3 And if you can, please visit her tumblr - eurichan (and the rest is normal tumblr . com)~! And one more time, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ^o^!

And thank you Reader for just being here! :3 I really hope you like this fic!