I AM BACK!

I want to thank my readers for sticking with me!

Bless you guys.

It has been tough but I have two weeks of holidays now and I am writing again. I might finish another chapter soon but I can't make any promises.

Otherwise I had mental breakdown but calmed my body, mind and soul in the alps with my husband :3 Felling refreshed.

Yunrii: Yes, that is our boy. And thank you for waiting TT^TT

sukondis: Oh! Thank you for pointing that out. I will fix it!

Chic White: THANK YOU! I am glad you still understand the story. But your english seems to be good enough :) You have found my story now so I hope you will still stick around!

Guest: Well, how could he xD You can't be an expert if you have no experience.

curlystruggle: otp? OTP? SERIOUSLY? OMG THANK YOU!

Anyway enjoy :3


Chapter 35 - A reconciliation

Cheers roared through the stadium after the referee blew his whistle. Tamiko smiled with pride as she watched her brother regroup with his winning team. Iwaizumi and Oikawa exchanged a few words about the game while Tamiko rested in her seat. Ushijima stayed quiet. Around them people began to migrate. Blue eyes watched the many faces pass while she held onto Ushijima's arm. Even he was looking around, with his usual demeanor. Tamiko closed her eyes for a moment, trying rest her body from the journey they had this morning. Traveling and then sitting in a packed stadium was tiresome for someone who wasn't used to it. Her companions certainly seemed to be. Next to her Oikawa moved.

"I think I need something to eat," Oikawa announced.

The setter stood along with his ace and he stretched his arms above his head. He was about to walk past the seats when Iwaizumi stopped him.

"Want to come with us?" he asked the couple. "There are still a few matches we could watch together."

Tamiko and Ushijima looked up to him and then exchanged glances between each other. On one hand she felt tired and just wanted to rest in the hotel but on the other hand she wanted to see all those teams she had never seen before. Ushijima also wanted to see more games. So they nodded without having exchanged any words.

"Sure," Tamiko smiled at them and stood as well.

Ushijima followed close behind her. The small group headed down to the lower floor, buying some lunch before going to watch the next game. Getting lunch was a daunting task, the queue at the food stands being very long. The young had a short discussion on who would pay. Originally Tamiko had offered him to pay but now that they had become a couple, Ushijima wanted to pay for it, the gentleman he was. Tamiko made a mental note that if she would ever meet his mother, she would thank him for raising him so well. With a smile she offered to buy the drinks while Ushijima payed for the food. To this he also agreed. Still, she made another mental note of packing lunch next time. While Ushijima and Iwaizumi waited in the queue to get the food, Tamiko and Oikawa went to the vending machines to get the drinks. It was a silent walk for the first part until Oikawa used the opportunity of them being alone to bombard her with questions.

"So, is he a good boyfriend?" he asked her as she fed the vending machine a few coins.

The coins produced a metallic clatter as they tumbled into the belly of the machine.

"Do you really need to bother me with this right now?" she countered with another question.

Her eyes were fixated on the choice of drinks, not gifting Oikawa any attention he was seeking at the moment.

"I just want to know if you are in good hands." he explained.

She glanced over to him and into his hopeful brown eyes.

"I am and I am happy with him," she grumbled and turned her attention back to the vending machine. "Now can you please drop it?"

"Just one more," he begged.

He clapped his hands together in prayer, his eyes big like a puppy's. To make it even worse he pushed his lower lip forward, looking like a terrible adult beggar turned toddler begging for candy. Tamiko raised her eyebrows and sighed, deciding that Ushijima would prefer a bottle of water while she chose a soft drink.

"Fine. What is it?" she asked while pressing a button for a drink.

He straightened and gazed down at her. Brown eyes grew a little darker than usual.

"Why him?" he asked her quietly.

There was a pregnant silence, which wasn't interrupted even as the low thud of the falling drinks in the vending machine sounded. Memories of that moment years ago flashed through her mind. That moment when he stopped her when she had picked up her brother. Oikawa had ignored the presence of her brother in that moment and straight out asked if she would go out with him. Now she realised that her answer from that time was still haunting him till this day. In retrospect, she felt sorry for him. She had no idea what her reply had done to him but it was already too late to apologize for that.

"Oikawa," she sighed.

She didn't know what to say.

"I want to know," he quickly continued. "Why him? Why him over me?"

The last question made her frown in annoyance but he seemed very different than during their normal conversations. Pity returned to her face. He was desperate for an answer, frowning a little, shielding her from prying eyes. It was a strange feeling, as if he wanted to show that he could protect her from anything, that he could be a good boyfriend, and it was working, if only a little. But he conveyed the feeling perfectly.

"Oikawa, please. Don't," she sighed, almost whined out of annoyance. "Don't make this so difficult."

It didn't move him. In fact, it made him move closer, almost trapping her between him and the vending machine.

"I have been in your life for much longer than he has," he argued. "I have more rights than him and you still chose him. What has he got that I don't?"

Tamiko quietly huffed and glared at him a little. More rights? What the hell did that mean? She wasn't an object where you had to gain ownership. But at this moment she felt trapped. She knew she could easily throw him over her shoulder, free herself from his closeness but she felt mentally trapped. And that was more difficult to escape from.

"Oikawa, don't be silly." she spoke quietly.

"I'm not being silly, I'm being rational." he defended.

"But it is silly talking about this." she interjected, her temper rising. "You have received my answer years ago and yet you still try. But why? Why don't you just get the next pretty face you come across?"

His shocked expression made her pause. Those words had been harsh, her feelings now controlling her mouth. She took a deep breath to calm herself but she was still frowning at him. It was one of the things that bothered her. He has had many relationships during her time in middle school, dating nearly every girl around him. That wasn't something she wanted to fall for. Unlike Oikawa, Ushijima seemed to care greatly for her, even if he had trouble showing it. Now that Oikawa seemed to try his luck again, she was growing angry again. But he was also now glaring at her when his face grew soft, with longing.

"Don't you get it? I need you." he confessed.

Tamiko's eyes widened. They had this conversation often enough but this was the first time he confessed to needing her. While she was struck with confusion and surprise he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly against his frame. Only now did she realize how tall, broad and strong her was. His scent also filled her nose. Some deodorant and shampoo smell, which was pleasant. Now that he was holding her against his solid frame, she noticed that they had never touched each other before, ever. It felt strange, mainly because she didn't feel disgusted or appalled right now. If anything, she felt warmth and safety.

"Why, Tōru?" she muffled into his shoulder.

"You make me feel safe and secure." he said softly. "And normal. You're the only girl who can do that, who has ever done that."

Tamiko thought about those words. Treating him 'normally' wasn't something she could call that. She just ignored him and that was something other girls never did. Girls always wanted his attention and because she never wanted it he grew attached to that. While Oikawa squeezed her a little more she saw a familiar figure approach.

"Wait, Toshi-kun." she said and lifted her hand.

Oikawa turned around and clicked his tongue when he saw Ushijima standing in the corridor along with Iwaizumi. The ace was glaring at the setter but he stayed where he was. Iwaizumi was glaring daggers at him as well but wearily gazed at Ushijima. Only he noticed how the grand ace was clenching his fists. Tamiko gently freed herself from Oikawa's embrace and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tōru, I am sure you will find someone who will make you feel more secure than I can. But I'll be there for you if you need me. That I can offer you. It can't be a relationship but it can be a friendship." she told him. "Is that okay?"

Tamiko put on her most considerate smile as the setter scanned her face. The tenseness of his shoulders vanished and he relaxed.

"Yeah," he smiled weakly.

That was much better. Tamiko happily sighed and even offered him her open arms which he happily walked into. The hug didn't last long but it didn't need to. Oikawa's face had grown soft again, welcoming Iwaizumi as the two ace's approached. Ushijima immediately stepped next to her, almost protectively.

"Everything okay?" Iwaizumi asked.

"Yeah, it's all good." she smiled and handed her boyfriend his drink.

"Good, I really thought Shittykawa would do something stupid." Iwaizumi grumbled, glaring at his friend.

"I just wanted to make sure that Ushiwaka-chan didn't force her into this relationship." Oikawa declared and turned to the vending machine.

The ace's exchanged glances and Iwaizumi shrugged while shaking his head. Ushijima, however, wasn't satisfied with that comment.

"Why would you say I forced her?" he wondered.

Oikawa huffed and pulled two drinks out of the machine before turning around. He was frowning at the ace, pointing his bottle at him.

"Because you are an emotionless brute." he declared with surety.

Even Tamiko was surprised. She had known about this rivalry for years but was that really the reason to say that? Did that rivalry extend out of sportsmanship and made it personal? Oikawa couldn't be that stupid, right?

"What the hell, shittykawa?" Iwaizumi stepped before him. "That goes over the line."

"Come on, Iwa-chan. You hate his guts as well." Oikawa grumbled.

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I hate the guy." he countered.

Tamiko glanced up to her ace who seemed to even more confused than before. He wasn't exactly emotionless, he just had trouble interpreting emotions of others and acting accordingly. Only if you knew him well, did you understand the message between his words. While Iwaizumi and Oikawa began to argue like an old married couple, Tamiko gently took Ushijima's hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. The the turned to the bickering duo.

"You guys have some serious communication issues." she announced.

"No, we don't." Oikawa snapped but then he grew submissive when he saw her anger, her calm anger.

The girl stepped between the boys and crossed her arms. All three of them were towering above her but that didn't mean she had no authority over them. Because that was exactly what she had.

"You take everything too emotionally. Wakatoshi only speaks highly of you." Tamiko told Oikawa.

She went on to explain how childish this was and that Oikawa took the rivalry a little too serious. Those boys still had a future in volleyball and there were teams even better than Shiratorizawa. There was a whole world out there with teams that were better and Oikawa's desire to become a great setter was something she was aware of. She was also aware of Oikawa's rivalry towards Tobio. But to make it so personal was a death trap. This was a sport, not a deathmatch. And with her words she made it perfectly clear. Even Ushijima thought about his rivalry towards others and then remembered his joy when his team was beaten by Karasuno, the joy to know that he had still ways to go. In the end heads hung low as apologies began to circulate.

"I'm sorry if my words and actions have caused this misunderstanding." Ushijima said and offered his hand to the setter and ace of Seijou.

"Yeah, same." they agreed.

Euphoria flooded her as she saw them reconcile. They exchanged a few more words before Iwaizumi turned to her.

"Do you guys want to go for a coffee later?" he asked with a cheeky grin.

"Is this a double date?" Tamiko grinned mischievously.

The boys stared at her.

"What the hell, Tamiko!" Iwaizumi shouted, appalled.

"If I would ever go on a date with a guy it would be with Ushiwaka-chan." Oikawa played along. "I like to be dominated."

Ushijima blinked a few times, trying to understand what the setter meant but Iwaizumi told him to forget what he had heard.

"You are fueling my fantasy." Tamiko laughed.

Iwaizumi groaned disappointingly while Oikawa laughed. The group headed back to the stands as the next match was about to start. The Karasuno team was also resting and watching the competition. The Nekoma match was greatly in their interest. Tamiko was also fascinated by the team in red. She had heard about them from Tobio, but watching them in a match was something else. When the first set was over, Tamiko stood.

"I'll be right back in a bit." she said before she left.