Hello ! Another silly OS with too little plot and too much fluff ! Credit to Yato for the title (that inspired the OS). I hope you enjoy !


No, Tsukishima Kei isn't very happy right now. Not that it's unusual, but this time, he has reasons. Legitimate reasons. Even if Shouyou and Tobio are coming for dinner tonight.

"Hitoka, is this…"

Hitoka basically jumps to the ceiling in surprise, and turns redder than the tomatoes she was chopping.

"This is not turkey ! No meat ! It's- I've been doing research, and I found out about this fake chicken recipe and- I thought I'd try making something nice ?"

Most of the times, these legitimate reasons can only last for so long in the face of the – much more amiable than predicted – reality. Kei's face softens, just a bit, and he wants to do something sappy like link his arms around Hitoka's waist and put his chin on top of her head. He finds a reason not to – it would disrupt her cooking, she seems so into it – but it's not really legitimate, is it.

"What are you cooking ?"

"I'm making ketchup for the fake chicken. Spicy ketchup ! Not too spicy though ! I know you don't like it."

Hitoka has a tiny speck of tomato on her right cheek, that Kei wants to swipe with his thumb. He doesn't really see a reason not to, so he does – Hitoka turns even redder and makes a smile brighter than Shouyou's. Kei doesn't really want to think about why Shouyou's smile became his reference for happiness, but lots of things did happen during third year and this is one of them.

"Do you want me to make fries ?"

"Oh no, you don't have to use the knife, don't worry. You can mash the avocados though !"

If this isn't reason enough to kiss her than Kei doesn't know what is – so he does, because it makes her happy, it makes him happy, and that's reason enough. Hitoka will soon start to emit steam, and swats his face away with a "Shoo ! Let me cook !", and he lets go of her face with a smile. There, he's smiling, she's smiling, everyone is happy.

Living with Hitoka is happy. It's not that Kei was unhappy back in high school, but he was definitely more sour. Stingyshima is probably the most relevant thing Shouyou has said about him, and the nickname still hasn't faded away, but it's – it's not as bad anymore. Kei is aware of it, that he started smiling more, talking more, listening, even, that Yamaguchi isn't his only friend anymore. That opening up, visibly caring, is not as bad as he thought.

"Kei ?"

"Yeah-" and he can't help it if hearing his name makes his ears go a bit pink "-what is it ?"

"Oh, no, it's just that – I thought about – ah !" Hitoka is probably about to say something very sappy, and is getting flustered even before she says it. "I was thinking that you seem more comfortable, these days, and I'm glad ! Because – ah – eh, I mean, I love you, and-"

Kei is very aware that the dorm kitchen is cramped, that Hitoka is only a few steps away, that they are both as red as cherries and still have to keep cooking because Shouyou and Tobio arrive in an hour, but they still stop moving for a few minutes until they calm down enough to pretend Hitoka didn't just basically confess to loving him. When they're less red, and able to make eye contact, Kei makes a soft smile and happy laughter bubbles in Hitoka's throat – this, this is reason enough to do almost everything nice Kei might want to do.


- Tsukishima Kei, actual grumpy old man
- The fake chicken recipe I found on tumblr looks good and has lots of spices but is using this fruit I've never ever seen in France and I wouldn't even know where to find that tbh. And I lost the link, good job me.
- Yachi and Tsukki are vegetarian, Tsukki partly due to a texture problem with meat. Hinata tried making them vegetarian pork buns once ("These are. Just buns." "Well yeah ? Porks buns without pork ! I didn't know what else to do with them…" The buns ended up covered in jam and Tsukki was secretly happy Hinata made an effort for him)
- I love Yachi. She's so cute. I love Yachi so much. I can relate to her anxiety and I want her hair.
- Tsukki being squeamish around sharp objects. High five dude. (also the texture meat thing. When Will I Stop Projecting)
- Also you just know he needs "valid, legitimate reasons to do something, obviously" *collective groan, Ennoshita facepalmed twice already, Tanaka took off their shirt*
- Demiboy Tsukki uses he pronouns !
- Did you know that I've written almost all of these OS in class ? Because I did

Thank you so much for reading !