If it feels like falling you probably already fell - for horned_owl

[saltinourstars]

Karasuno's come a long way from the "fallen rivals" no one could be bothered to practice against. Since they've qualified for Nationals, there have been several requests for scrimmages. Then Fukurodani asked for an entire weekend. Coach Ukai jumped on that one. True, they're competition. But after the improvements from Tokyo Summer Camp? Who knows what could come out of this.

So here it is. Crows vs. Owls. They've finished up their first joint practice and everyone's chattering. Excited about tomorrow's scrimmage, trading insults and tips. Tsukki wipes the sweat from his face, satisfied with the practice. Maybe even smiling a little. Definitely about the blocks, though. Nothing to do with any spiky-haired loud-mouths hooting around the court.

Or the fact Bokuto's sleeping at his house.

(Their school isn't set up for overnight guests. Solution? The Fukurodani players are staying with the Karasuno families.)

Comments

[horned_owl]

"Woah..."

The sight of huge, full moon made Bokuto forget that talking is not allowed. He drops his bag and shoes close to the door and walks towards the middle of the rooftop, staring at the moon in awe.

"Who the fuck says we need Sun?!" He falls backward on the concrete, still staring.

"Hey Tsukki! Are you falling on me?" Bokuto tilts his head to look at Tsukishima upside down, grinning.

[saltinourstars]

"You're ridiculous."

There's a sigh with that, but a smile too. Really, Tsukki would be disappointed by anything less. He slides his shoes back on and ambles over. Lowering himself to sit next to Bokuto. He's always liked the moon better. Turning everything simpler, to shadow and light. It suits him.

"...Falling for you, maybe."

Bokuto is not the only one who gets to be absurd.

[horned_owl]

If Bokuto didn't see Tsukishima's mouth move as he said that, he'd think he's hallucinating from too much moonlight. The smile that spreads across his face is pure, undiluted happiness and he sits up.

"Hmmm. I'm so happy that I'm not the only one. Falling that is." He pauses looking away, shifting to sit cross-legged.

"I mean. I fell some time ago and I still feel like falling, y'know? It's a nice feeling though," he chuckles and looks back at Tsukishima. "The falling feeling with tons of crazy, flying butterflies in the stomach when you see the person you're falling for."

[saltinourstars]

"That's what you feel?"

Tsukki doesn't know if he'd call it nice. "Distracting," definitely, the sensation keeps popping up at weird times. When he's trying to concentrate. Sleep. Study. But if he thinks about it going away... it's like a pit opens under him.

He can't hold the gaze. Not if he wants to talk about this. So instead he looks back up to the stars.

"It feels like falling. But it's more like... gravity. Like somehow you're the center now, and it's pulling me."

It's been getting stronger, too. When Bokuto walked into the gym today it took everything not to head straight for him. Stay on the correct side of the net.

[horned_owl]

Bokuto stares at Tsukishima in amazement, hardly believing his ears. After their aquarium date, he prayed to every deity out there that Tsukki will end up liking him. And apparently, the deities fulfilled his wish.

With what Tsukishima just said, Bokuto feels encouraged and gently takes his hand with his own, entwining their fingers. He even scoots closer to him, looking all like a love-struck idiot.

Which is not wrong. He is completely love-struck and dazzled.

"...you like me?"

[saltinourstars]

Tsukishima planned on this being another lesson in constellations. Seeing if Bokuto remembered anything from the summer. Unlikely - So Tsukki would teach him again, take his hand on purpose this time.

But Bokuto beats him to it. Tsukki's fingers close tight. The warmth a shock against the chill.

"...I like you."

Then he presses his mouth to Bokuto's. Determined not to lose this chance too.

[horned_owl]

And Tsukishima keeps managing to surprise him. With his acceptance, confession, and now a kiss. He can feel the hair stand up on the nape of his neck and warmth spread through his body.

...Tsukishima is really kissing him. Him, Bokuto, of all people in the world. Is he luckiest man live or what!?

He kisses him back, feeling tingles go down his back. Hopefully, there is a way that this amazing feeling remains on his lips forever.

[saltinourstars]

Tsukki's at least has experience with this. How to fit two faces together, keep from crashing teeth. Where hands should settle. The mechanics were the one thing he hadn't worried about.

He should have.

Because none of the past practice was with Bokuto. There is no way to be ready for the rush. It feels like touching a live wire, energy bursting through him when the kiss gets returned.

Tsukki pulls back, gasping. Cheeks dark in the moonlight.

sorry for slow, we have some house repairs ;;

[horned_owl]

Bokuto's breath is ragged as well, the kiss leaving him without air for a few seconds there. Or was that just excitement? He can't put these feelings properly into words. The only thing he can do is smile like an idiot and scoot even closer to him, their shoulders and legs brushing.

He tilts his head, a bit in a deep thought.

"Ehh... I know that you're pretty but somehow I always forget how pretty you actually are. Huh."

No worries hope it goes well!

[saltinourstars]

Tsukki splutters.

"Pretty?!"

That is the last thing in the world he ever expected to hear about himself. Even from Bokuto. Who specializes in the ridiculous.The word curls strange in Tsukishima's head, the response automatic.

"I'm not pretty."

(Probably going to be as effective as trying to stop 'Tsukki' from happening, isn't it?)

/makes sure to send at least one tag per day bcs precious, beautiful threads

[horned_owl]

"Yes, you are!"

And Bokuto will, of course, argue back. "You just don't get to see how you look in this moonlight. So I don't blame you! But trust me-! You're gorgeous!"

The moon is giving Tsukishima's face and eyes such glint that he just can't look away.

[saltinourstars]

Don't forget the eyelashes, Bokuto. It is maybe a crime how long they are.

Anyway. Great. Now Tsukki's completely stuck. Because the insane thing? He does trust Bokuto. He's honest. Probably couldn't lie if he tried. Which means this is the truth.

Bokuto Kotaro thinks he's pretty.

Which is somehow more of a head-fuck then them kissing. And before Tsukki can even begin to process that - form any kind of response - Bokuto ups the ante. Because of course he does.

"Tch."

(Tsukishima is not smiling at Gorgeous he isn't he isn't.)

[horned_owl]

Eyelashes especially.

When he sees Tsukishima crack a smile, Bokuto matches it with a grin of his own. He can complain and 'tch' all he wants, but nothing can change Bokuto's mind on this.

He looks back up at the sky.

"SO! Constellations! Are you sure we'll be able to find some with moon this big and close?"

[saltinourstars]

"You can still see Libra."

The moon's light blocks some stars, but that one's shining bright. Then the smile that isn't still there grows a fraction. Because what comes out next feels kind of sappy, but Tsukki wants Bokuto to know -

"Libra's mine, by the way."

So if Bokuto can find it by himself it will be extra impressive? If he's practiced since summer, anyway.

[horned_owl]

"Really!? That's so cool!" Pause. "Why are Libra people so rare? The only other person that I know is Libra is Kenma. You know, Nekmoa's setter."

His eyes squint at the sky, trying to find that goddamn Jupiter. And what do you know, he actually finds it.

"Aha! There he is. Jupiter!" He points at the sky. "So Libra... Libra... guh, give me a second, I'll find it!" Because he did practice constellations and even watched 'how to easily find constellations in the night sky' videos!

PS Tsukki's birthday is two days off of mine :D

[saltinourstars]

"Really? Nishinoya's a Libra, too."

Tsukki leans back, weight settling into his hands. He's suddenly very aware of them. And how close they are to Bokuto's. He doesn't want to distract him, though.

!! So all of us are libras :D!!! Mine is 6th october :D!! LIBRAS UNITE

[horned_owl]

"The wild libero on your team!? Cool!"

Bokuto is going through motions of what Tsukishima told him before and what he 'learned'. He needs a few minutes to properly pinpoint the stars and finally find the constellation in question.

"There it is! Goddammit Libra, don't hide like that!" Bokuto laughs, pointing at the sky. "Okay, here it is! It goes like this," he starts drawing lines, making the triangle, "and then these two, on the edges."

Yes. That is very expectant look Bokuto is giving to Tsukishima. Insert praise here, please!~

All the Cool Kids are Libras SORRY BO~

[saltinourstars]

"Wow. Good job."

Anyone who didn't know Tsukki would think that was sarcasm. Hell, anyone who did know him would also think that. Except Bokuto's not "anyone."

And Tsukishima's stopped wrestling with the smile. It's different from his usual smirk. Softer.

"Do you know how to find any more?"

speaking of Bo, his bday was 2 days ago

[horned_owl]

"Thanks! I practiced at home, in the back garden, whenever Sunny didn't bother me." His dog is an attention whore, just like Bokuto. Usually, he doesn't mind his dog just flopping over him as he lays down, but it was summer and his dog is like a goddamn blanket.

"Well! I tried finding simple ones, like Aries or Cassiopeia, but I never managed to see them." Maybe because they are just lines, not making any particular, recognizable shape.

"The internet didn't help with it either, haha."

Yay September babies! ❤

[saltinourstars]

Wow. That's actually impressive. It sounds like Bokuto did go to a lot of extra effort.

"It's easier to start with the larger ones. Like the Big and Little Dipper..."

Taking Bokuto's hand, he traces them out. Did it feel like this last time? All warm and humming in his head? Tsukki's pretty sure not. Or maybe he just didn't register what it was. He'd been so exhausted and frustrated... if it weren't for Bokuto, he might have hated that whole camp.

What a strange thing to realize now.

Beautiful ❤

[horned_owl]

Bokuto hums and watches intently what Tsukishima is showing him. Huh. It really is easier to find big ones, with circles or stuff like that.

He grins and turns to look at Tsukishima.

"Well. I also didn't have a good teacher to show me."

[saltinourstars]

Tsukishima shrugs. But at least doesn't deny this compliment. It's nice that someone appreciates his efforts. Unlike certain ungrateful teammates.

"...You're a good teacher too. I don't mean only with volleyball."

Bokuto is never, ever getting called "senpai." But Tsukki can give him this.

Silence falls. Tsukki's clearly not done, just... figuring out the right words. He has made his peace with his brother, with middle school. However, it's not something he's ever discussed with anyone who wasn't there.

"So once I asked you why you liked volleyball... Do you want to know why I didn't?"

[horned_owl]

"I am?" He is? "I taught you something else than volleyball? Huh... I wasn't aware." Bokuto grins anyway. "But if I helped, I'm happy!"

If Tsukishima ever calls him senpai, he'll cry. There won't be any holding back and the whole world would know that Tsukki called him 'senpai'.

Bokuto is silent for a moment, watching the sky, then looks at Tsukishima.

"Well, I always wanted to know. But, talking about things you don't like is always harder than about things you do, y'know? Because there's usually a reason and they aren't always nice." And Bokuto might be an airhead from time to time, but he can see when things are serious. Just that question Tsukishima asked him was on the completely new level. Something he never had to answer.

"If you are willing to tell me," Bokuto crosses his legs and shifts so he can see Tsuksihima a bit better, "I'm always willing to listen."

[saltinourstars]

It spills out. Maybe Bokuto wants to watch him, and that's fine. Tsukki keeps his eyes fixed on the moon. Letting the words go on without him. About Akiteru, Karasuno, Yamaguchi. The whole humiliating mess spilling into the chilly air.

"...It hurt. I know you're an only child, I don't know if I can explain it - but - I worshiped Akiteru. Especially after our dad left. And he lied. For years. About a stupid game. And I was a stupid kid who believed everything."

Tsukki's fingers curl up. There's heat prickling behind his eyes and he blinks furiously. Refusing to cry about this.

"So I decided not to care."

[horned_owl]

Bokuto listened carefully. Watching every line of Tsukishima's face, picking up on expressions and emotions as he goes through the story. And the pieces of the puzzle finally fit in.

It's true, he's the only child. But, if someone close to him did something like this, he would probably stop liking the sport himself. And considering the way Bokuto is, he wouldn't even linger around it, compared to Tsukishima.

Bokuto shakes his head slowly, "You're not stupid. You trusted someone so deeply and they ended up turning out to be something they aren't. You had and still have, every right to be mad about it. They teach us all the time to trust our families, so when they end up hurting you, it's no wonder if you end up not trusting anyone else."

He leans forward, on his knees and brushes fingers over Tsukishima's cheek. "But you do care. And from my experience, the more I say that I don't care, the more I do. Because, despite the things that happened, your brother gave you something nice and you treasure it."