Flower between Fingers

"Damn, that Tsukishima. He seems to hate me so much! Or everyone. I don't know, but that's a possibility. He keeps laughing at my receives and it's pissing me off!" Hinata hisses while stomping his foot to the side of the court, taking his bottle in hand and instantly emptying it down his throat.

Seeming to be the one Hinata is complaining to, Yamaguchi snorts, "Who wouldn't laugh at how you use your whole body to receive the ball."

"Arghh, not you too, Yamaguchi…" Hinata's pout is visible and Yamaguchi can't help but laugh harder. "Stop it, Yamaguchiiiii," Hinata's face reddens, he's aware that his receives are bad and he seems to be getting spiked on his face every time. But at least that managed to connect the ball for a few times in previous matches and practices.

"Okay, I'll stop laughing," Yamaguchi is still laughing despite saying so. He tries his best to hold it down by covering his face with his hand. When he's a lot calmer, he adds, "About Tsukki, don't worry about it because he actually likes you guys, or at least… the team is considered tolerable for him."

He smiles to Hinata, "Tsukki just enjoys teasing people he's comfortable with."

"Really… It's still hard to believe. But you sure know Tsukishima so well, Yamaguchi. You said you're childhood friends, but that's still amazing as if you actually know what he's thinki―wait," Hinata's eyes widen in realisation and looks over to Yamaguchi, then Tsukishima, then back to Yamaguchi again, "don't tell me, you guys are soulmates!?"

Yamaguchi laughs dryly and grips on his bottle tighter.

"Wow, no wonder you stick around with Tsukishima. It can't be helped if he's your soulmate!"

"Tsukki is kind, he's just good at hiding it, Hinata!" Yamaguchi protests.

"―two things about being soulmate. First one is your soul mark; you will have a matching tattoo with your soulmate, which is one way to find them. Second, sometimes your soulmate's thoughts would be transmitted to you head. When you're hearing them, your soul mark would tingle. Consensus still cou―"

Yamaguchi yawns. The lecture from their social study teacher goes on and on, Yamaguchi notices a few students being all excited and even talking about it with their friends, while some others are just as bored as him. He idly rubs the side of his middle finger where a small black flower is printed on his skin.

He flinches when it suddenly stings.

I still have a few more episodes to finish after I get home.

He blankly stares at the mark for a moment before glancing away to the blond sitting just a few seats in front of him on the next row. Tsukishima is currently leaning his chin on his palm and full attention on the teacher. After a few moment, Tsukishima cracks his head and yawns.

Yamaguchi laughs silently to himself, 'He must be lacking sugar.'

"Yamaguchi-kun."

He looks up from his bag, meeting his eyes with a girl from his class. He can't remember her name, but he is sure she is the one who also approaches Tsukishima and him on canteen the other day. He tilts his head in question, "Yes?"

She clears her throat and looks around the empty class; everyone has left for the gym. Yamaguchi is the last one because the teacher on the previous period asked him to collect papers and bringing it to the faculty office. Now Yamaguchi wonders why this girl is still here even after she has already changed to her P.E. clothes.

"It's kind of embarrassing, but I think since you're close to Tsukishima-kun, maybe you would know. Uhm," she fiddles with her fingers and sets her eyes to the floor, "Is Tsukishima-kun seeing anyone? As in… dating anyone?"

Yamaguchi gives a low hum, barely audible. It's been the same all these years, and maybe even more often since high school. People would approach him asking about Tsukishima; if he is dating anyone, his favourite food, his type. It can't be helped, Yamaguchi knows, 'Because Tsukki is cool!'

He stands up with his change of clothes in hand, giving the same answer every time anyone asks him similar question about Tsukishima, "Tsukki's not dating anyone, but Tsukki already has someone he likes."

Did Tsukishima tell Yamaguchi about this? No. They had never talked about this topic. It's just not something either of them would bring up. And he's not lying to the poor girl either.

Yamaguchi just knows.

Even without Tsukishima verbally telling him, Yamaguchi has his own way of knowing what's in Tsukishima's mind. He smiles proudly at himself.

'Tsukki likes me after all.'

It seems like she isn't going to give up that easily. When the teacher gives a group task; a group of three, the teacher said, that girl decided it's a good idea to join Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. It's not like they can refuse, seeing as the other classmates has already begun dragging their tables and making their own groups.

"Tsukishima-kun, did you watch last night's national volleyball match on TV?" She starts the conversation, stopping her wrist from writing down the essay they're supposed to finish before the bell rings. Maybe it's her best attempt at starting a conversation and knowing Tsukishima is in the volleyball club, she figured it's a safe topic.

Tsukishima doesn't even stop writing when he answers, "No."

A heavy silence follows after and the only thing they can hear is chatter from other groups, some of them are busy discussing the topic, while others are just busy talking about other things.

"Tsukki, the penguins last night are so adorable, right?"

This time, Tsukishima stops writing and looks up to Yamaguchi. It rare, he should say. Yamaguchi bringing this up in other people's presence. It's usually a topic they would talk about on their walk home, just the two of them. But it doesn't mean it never happened before.

Yamaguchi's lips slightly pressed tighter than usual, his shoulder is tense, and he blinks a lot more times than usual.

Tsukishima knows those days.

The days Yamaguchi is just slightly more possessive of Tsukishima. Wanting to show off how close they are, how well he knows him. And each and every time, Tsukishima plays along with Yamaguchi instead of shying away and telling Yamaguchi to shut up.

"Yes, they are. And I bet your favourite part is when they keep falling on their face over nothing," he replied. The corner of his eyes caught sight of the girl being all confused, wanting to join in the conversation but finding nothing to say. Tsukishima thinly smirks.

Then he turns his attention back to Yamaguchi and catching him pressing his thumb firmly between his fingers. He resumes writing his essay while listening to Yamaguchi's soft voice talking about the penguin documentary they watched last night.

"Tsukki, mine or yours?"

"Mine."

Nishinoya stares at both of them with balls in arms, then dropping them in the cart. "What is this about, Tsukishima?" he asks his underclassmen while keeping his eyes on the pinch server striding away to lower the net.

Tsukishima scrunches up his nose and knits his eyebrows slightly. He pushes the cart to the equipment room. Nishinoya follows closely behind him, no plan on leaving the topic down. He sighs and gives up, "He's sleeping over at my house."

"Whoaa…" The libero seems genuinely amazed you can see sparkles in his eyes, "So it is true that the bond of soulmate makes them understand each other without too many words, because they're used to listening to each other's thoughts!" Nishinoya elbows Tsukishima on his ribs with a teasing smile, "How lucky of you, eh, Tsukishima?"

Tsukishima clicks his tongue as response.

For some reason, they reach the school earlier this morning.

And immediately regrets it.

Or maybe not.

Okay, maybe a bit. Because their memory is now scarred of the sight of freak duo making out in the gym.

But at least when they exchange a look, both of them scoffs and knows that today is going to be fun with all the flustered King and Shrimpy because they won't stop their teasing with that kind of sight.

Take it as a payment.

Maybe I should've bought a new lamp.

Yamaguchi winces as he sets the tray down. The mark between his fingers tingles again, even though it hasn't been that long since it last did. It is weird how sometimes it would be as often as a few times a day, and as scarce as once a month. But Yamaguchi knows the voice is always there, always present, it always comes at the moment he least expects it.

Unwrapping his giant burger, he bites into his first bite and hums audibly at how he loves fast food. Tsukishima seems to be pouring his fries to his tray. Only half though, as usual. He smiles to himself because he knows Tsukishima will end up giving Yamaguchi the remaining half, saying it has gone floppy and Tsukishima doesn't like floppy fries.

"Is this for me? Thanks, Tsukki!" He goes and takes the remaining half fries and putting it on his own tray, grinning wide.

"No it's not. Shut up, Yamaguchi." Tsukishima takes it back to his own tray.

"Sorry, Tsukki." Yamaguchi keeps his grin there, not even feeling the least apologetic. Because whenever Tsukishima tells him to shut up, he doesn't mean it. He never means it.

The locker room suddenly fell into deafening silence after the loud duo from second year left the room. Leaving only the tallest member of Karasuno Volleyball Team and their pinch server as the last members in the changing room. Their pinch server is known for always being the last in the locker room. They've seen how he is always panicking while packing up and especially pressed on seeing everyone finishing first.

Tsukishima, though, does not take long changing.

But, sometimes he is.

Doing it on purpose, Yamaguchi assumes while staring intently at the raised hipbone on that smooth pale skin. A drop of sweat trickles down that toned muscles, glistening its path and making Yamaguchi swallow a lump in his throat.

He blinks and sucks in a deep breath, biting his lip envying the sweat trickling down Tsukishima's muscles, because he wants to be that. He wants his palm to be the one covering over that smooth toned muscles and putting his hands on his chest, his side, dragging that waistband do―

Tsukishima snorts.

And Yamaguchi realises he hasn't been subtle in ogling over his best friend.

The winning smirk on that face showing how he totally expects Yamaguchi to be ogling over him. Oh, of course, that's how it always is every time Tsukishima is taking his sweet time being the last ones changing in the locker room.

Yamaguchi grumbles with reddened face and tries to hide his face using his clothes. He strips out of his own sweaty clothes and thinks of revenge. With a glance, he knows Tsukishima is also watching, or rather staring at him.

Ah, so that's how it is.

Yamaguchi inhales and stabs his thumb nail to his dark tattoo in between his fingers. Looking at Tsukishima who is now staring straight at his naked upper body, Yamaguchi smiles in triumphant. Yamaguchi knows Tsukishima is staring at those freckles on his back. Counting. Counting each one on his tanned skin.

Tsukishima suddenly closes his locker door and heads to the door of the room. "If you don't hurry and put on your clothes, you'll catch a cold, Yamaguchi."

And with that, Yamaguchi grumbles one more time, quickly putting his uniform.

"If you take any longer, I'll leave you."

Yamaguchi knows he won't.

"Here's yours."

Tsukishima throws a bottle to Yamaguchi, which the latter catches without problem. "Thanks, Tsukki."

Tanaka eyes over the drink on Yamaguchi's hand and cringes, "Salty popcorn? Who the heck wants your weird ass salty popcorn drink, huh, Tsukishima?" He sticks out his chin and tilts his head to Tsukishima, "He's stuck with you because you're soulmates but you should think about Yamaguchi for a second before buying him this drink!"

Tsukishima sighs as if it's enough of a response.

"Don't worry about it, Tanaka-senpai. I do like these unconventional flavours." Yamaguchi laughs while uncapping his bottle, downing a big gulp down his throat.

"You meant weird," Tsukishima adds.

"But you're being lame lately, Tsukki!"

No. No matter how well Tsukishima knows Yamaguchi, that still catches him off guard. He knows how Yamaguchi feels about him, how Yamaguchi is so proud of him even though he is anything but that. He knows how Yamaguchi is always there, bragging about him because Yamaguchi knows what Tsukishima thinks about himself.

But no, it never occurred to him that Yamaguchi would be the one who told him he was lame.

It's weird. Not knowing what's in Yamaguchi's mind for once.

Strangely, it doesn't feel like a bad thing. Talking with Yamaguchi, communicating with him, knowing more about him, has never been bad.

And so he tells Yamaguchi, about his insecurity. About how there will always be someone better no matter how high he climbs. How it's impossible to actually become number one.

"What else do we need besides pride!?"

The hand grabbing Tsukishima's shirt also is not one of the things he would expect Yamaguchi to do. He immediately retracts his hand though, probably thinking that he had crossed the line.

Funny.

He always knows what's in Yamaguchi's mind, and so does Yamaguchi. But there still seems to be a part from Yamaguchi that Tsukishima doesn't know. And instead of giving him a sense of inferiority like always, it gives him reassurance.

"Since when have you become so cool?" He smiles, genuinely proud of Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi being dumbfounded also means that this is something Yamaguchi doesn't expect.

This kind of moment when they are lost on what's on the other's mind is rare. But he doesn't mind one bit.

"You're actually cool."

And he knows Yamaguchi doesn't mind it too.

Tsukishima rubs his eyes when the alarm rings. Putting his hand over the bedside table, he manages to turn the constant loud ringing off. He sits up and yawns.

They forgot to turn it off last night. It is weekend and they don't have practice today, so they should be able to rest longer for the morning. And now that Tsukishima's awake, he won't be able to sleep again.

He glances down to the mop of brown hair snoring lightly beside him.

Yamaguchi wouldn't have that kind of problem though. Because even with blaring alarm, Yamaguchi is naturally hard to wake up in the morning.

They decided to sleep over Yamaguchi's house this time. And since they do this regularly, the act of bringing out futon from the other room and setting it up in Yamaguchi's narrow room is such a chore they decided to skip it over every time. So they settled with Yamaguchi's small bed for the night.

It's enough for two giant high school students for some reason; they don't mind snuggling closer so that one of them wouldn't fall from the bed.

The morning is still early so he settles back down to the comfort of the bed. He laughs at Yamaguchi's pooling drool on his pillow, but then he thinks to himself that he should be cringing and not smiling at his best friend's habit.

'Adorable', he thinks.

He raises his finger to trace the constellation on Yamaguchi's face, spreading to under his ear and neck. And Tsukishima just wants to spend his morning counting them, memorising them.

He wonders if those freckles stay the same all the time, or do new ones appear, do they get darker in summer. Tsukishima wants to be able to point them out. Maybe not telling Yamaguchi and keeping it to himself because how creepy it is for your best friend to remember exactly every inch of your body.

But then again, maybe Yamaguchi wouldn't mind.

Thrilled, even.

He moves his finger down to play with Yamaguchi's hand which has been resting in front of his face. He traces over the light bruise forming on his palm from hitting the balls too many times, from practicing harder than anyone.

And his eyes catch the black flower hiding between his fingers. It looks the same as how he last had seen it. It's pitch black and there for anyone to see, like telling him that there's someone out there who understands Yamaguchi better than Tsukishima.

Which sounds like a joke; because he prided himself in understanding Yamaguchi the best.

He looks to his own clean fingers and can't believe that someone out there is meant for his role.

He remembers the first time Yamaguchi showed his mark to him, in primary school.

Tsukishima felt this unbelievable jealousy in him. He couldn't believe that his best friend is actually someone else's best friend. And ever since then, he wants to prove how he is the one who understands Yamaguchi the most and the most suitable one to be his best friend.

Now he knows that feeling is probably more immense than that.

It's not just because he feels like his best friend is being robbed away. It's because his most precious person is being robbed away by someone who probably doesn't even know that Yamaguchi drools in his sleep, or that Yamaguchi tries his hardest in test and treating himself his favourite food each time he passes, or how Yamaguchi's smile is the brightest.

They may not even know that even though Yamaguchi seems innocent and kind, he laughs louder than Tsukishima when Hinata receives the ball with his face. Also how his cowlick never stays put, and he saved his allowance for three months in middle school just to buy hair gel, thinking it would make his hair stay put but it doesn't. The hair gel is probably still here in this room, rotting away but Yamaguchi just can't bring himself to throw away something he only used once.

The lashes suddenly flutter and revealing the brown sleepy eyes behind them.

It's rare that Yamaguchi is even half awake on no-practice Saturday mornings. Maybe it's because Tsukishima squeezes his hand too hard.

He's ready to close his eyes again when their eyes met and his lips form a stupid smile. Seeing it's just Tsukishima, he's planning on going back to sleep again.

"Yamaguchi."

It is a quiet murmur of his name, half betting if Yamaguchi would hear it and opens his eyes again or ignoring it. Tsukishima prays it's the former.

Yamaguchi opens his eyes.

And Tsukishima knows he is doing this now, because why not now.

"Go out with me."

He swallows the thick lump in his throat. Licking his lips, he absentmindedly scrapes on Yamaguchi's soul mark.

Yamaguchi is still half asleep, but Tsukishima can see how his consciousness is slowly returning. He quickly rubs his eyes while furrowing his eyebrows, "H―huh?" He sits up, and Tsukishima follows after him.

"W―what did you say?" Yamaguchi is more awake now, rubbing at his wet cheek, thanks to his drool. His opens his eyes as wide as he can, but it's still half his usual size.

Tsukishima knows Yamaguchi heard him.

Yamaguchi knows Tsukishima knows he heard him.

But instead of ignoring Yamaguchi's request to repeat, he says it once more, in a firmer tone.

"Go out with me."

Because that is exactly what he is better than Yamaguchi's soulmate. They can listen to whatever private thought Yamaguchi have in his head, but Tsukishima now can just say it to Yamaguchi.

Just like how it is sometimes.

When Yamaguchi can't read what's on Tsukishima's head, he can ask.

When Tsukishima can't read what's on Yamaguchi's head, he can ask.

If there are things they don't understand, they can tell each other. It's enough to know if there is something they don't know about each other, they will tell. And if they don't, they can always ask.

There is a long silent between them, but Tsukishima doesn't mind. Because every little movement Yamaguchi makes right now, may it be the ways his nose scrunches, his eyebrows twitch, his mouth gaping like a goldfish; all of them, is a special thing that only Tsukishima get to see.

A special thing, a special bond between them, he should say.

"Yamaguchi, what am I thinking right now?"

Yamaguchi blinks, "I—I don't know."

"Ask."

"Huh? Uhm… W―what's on your mind, Tsukki?"

"I like you. Now, what am I thinking right now, Yamaguchi?"

A blush spreads through his face and down his ears, "That… you like me?"

Tsukishima smiles, an unadulterated one. "I… don't really know how this soulmate things work. But they say it is about knowing what's on your soulmate's mind, understanding them better than anyone, being the best match, and having the same soul mark."

He laces his fingers together, looking down on his own pale, clean fingers. "But we know what's on the other's mind almost all the time. You've known how I feel for you and so do I for years. We never said anything, but we just know from every eye glances and movements. And sometimes even when we don't, we ask. You understand my joke, and I know your habits. We've stick together for years and still not tired of each other."

There's a pause, he grips his hands tighter, "And I can always get a tattoo matching yours or we can get our own matching one for ourselves, if you want."

He waits a bit before looking up to Yamaguchi; his hair sticking up in all directions, his freckles adoring his body under the slight sunlight seeping from the closed curtain. It's blurry because his glasses are still on the table, but he knows Yamaguchi's sight is just as blurry from tears forming on his eyes.

"Aren't we basically soulmates already?" Tsukishima whispers in lower voice.

He never knows what it's like to hear those voices in his head, because his body is pale and blank. But if being with Yamaguchi, what he's been experiencing is what it feels like, then he doesn't mind having a soulmate that is Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi twitches his fingers, and Tsukishima knows Yamaguchi just heard his soulmate's voice again. Because he always flinches and knits his eyebrows every time he does. But Yamaguchi lunges himself at Tsukishima. Almost making him fall to the floor from the small bed they shared last night.

"Yes, Tsukki. Let's go out. Because this mark doesn't matter and I know you are my soulmate."

And deep down, they always know it.

Because they never deny it every time their friends say that they're soulmates.

End.

I hope what I was planning on doing succeeded? Do you know Tsukki is not Yamaguchi's soulmate from the start or it's starting to dawn on you or does the last part becomes the reveal?

And I'm sorry (but not really) because this isn't the usual soulmate AU. I love soulmate AU and crave for these AU but why is it when I actually write it, they are not even soulmate in the system. I love thinking about them, not being soulmate according to the system, still decide their own fate by staying together. They are having happy future don't worry.

And yes, thanks a lottttt for anyone who's reading this aaaaaaa. I kind of dropped haikyuu back then but decided to follow it again and guess what I'm now in deep tsukkiyama hell.