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[saltinourstars]

Continued nonsense

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[saltinourstars]

Guess not.

[Which Tsukki's fine saying. Salty brat Realist that he is. But hearing it from this guy - Always cheerful, always pushing and smiling and teasing - It doesn't fit. Hearing Sugawara so down on himself.

Maybe that's what pushes the next words out.]

Um.

Do you want. Company. Or something?

[beautymarker]

[He does, he wants company desperately, so for once he just answers without thinking about what the other person might need.]

Yeah. I'm just... kind of wandering around right now, I don't want to go back home while I'm still such a disaster. So I can meet you anywhere.

[saltinourstars]

Okay

[Tsukki ducks back into the house, grabs a few things.]

There's a bookstore across from Shimada Mart. Green door. Probably a really fat cat in the window.

You know it?

[beautymarker]

I'll meet you there.

Thanks, Tsukishima-kun.

[He's actually quite close by, as it happens, so Tsukishima will find Suga waiting outside with his arms wrapped around himself. While he's not still actively crying, his eyes are red-rimmed and puffy and there's a visible fragility to his placid expression.

If only he hadn't bolted from the house so quickly himself after sending Daichi into his mini-crisis... it's not terribly warm out, and he's got no money or anything on him so he can't even buy Tsukishima a snack or drink to thank him.]

[saltinourstars]

[He won't be waiting too long. Soon Tsukishima's rounding the corner. Bundled up in his headphones and a scarf. Spotting Sugawara, he nods. Digs into a pocket.]

Hey.

[He producing a pack of tissues. Tossing it over.]

Here. You're gross.

[beautymarker]

[That - is the perfect opening line. Having to think fast enough to catch the tissues pulls Sugawara out of his head, and Tsukishima's remark startles a laugh out of him that makes it much easier to offer a genuine smile.]

Jeez, I don't even want to think about how I must look right now... [Dabbing at his eyes, blowing his nose, wiping his cheeks, it feels good to clear away some of the mess.] There! Do I pass inspection now?

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[Meanwhile, Tsukki fusses with his glasses. Using the scarf to clean them. He looks up at Sugawara. Gold eyes free of their usual dark frames.]

Sure.

[Then he smirks. Sliding the glasses back in place.]

[beautymarker]

[It's not the first time Suga's noticed and won't be the last, but something about the light where they're standing makes the fact stand out even more: Tsukishima has incredibly striking eyes.

Then the thought and the moment both pass, as always.]

You know what? You should probably just leave those off, I'll be your seeing eye Suga.

[saltinourstars]

Ha ha.

Thought I was doing my good deed for the year.

[With that, Tsukki heads into the shop. It's mostly second-hand stock, along with a little coffee stand and wrapped snacks. There is, as promised, a huge cat sleeping in the window. Curled into a nest of blankets and knocked-over books.

Above him a sign reads 'DO NOT FEED THE MENACE'.]

[beautymarker]

[If Tsukishima thinks that Suga's just going to walk past that absolute unit, he's an utter fool. He doesn't pester the cat in any way, though, just crouches down to look closer with an enchanted smile.]

Look at you... someone already fed you a bowling ball, huh?

[saltinourstars]

[Sleepy green eyes peek open. Then comes a huge yawn and they close again.]

That's MacGyver.

He tried to steal my onigiri once.

[Does Tsukki sound... proud?

MacGyver rolls over. Stretches out every single toe bean. Clearly, he knows how to charm an audience.]

[beautymarker]

Ohhhhhh... [It might just be because he's already emotionally compromised, but Suga would die for this cat and it's written in his big, dewy eyes as he watches MacGyver's every move.] You deserve all the onigiri, MacGyver, but too much is bad for cats! It doesn't mean Tsukishima-kun doesn't love you!

[When Suga stands back up and glances over at Tsukishima, a bit of the usual mischief has returned to his smile. He's already returning to his usual self, at least for now.]

[saltinourstars]

[Tsukki makes a point to roll his eyes. There's not exactly a plan, here, but - Good start.]

Come on.

[With that, he heads towards the drink stand. Tossing over his shoulder - ]

They have coffee or hot chocolate.

[beautymarker]

[Fine, fine, he'll tear himself away from the cat and catch up to Tsukishima. Looking at the drinks and snacks, though, a frown flits across his face, then quickly gets smothered by a smile and shrug.]

Ah - I didn't bring any money with me when I left... I'm good, though, I don't need anything!

[saltinourstars]

[Of course Sugawara's going to try and be all polite about it. Tsukki sighs. Pulling out his wallet.]

I said they have coffee or hot chocolate.

Just pick one.

[Or he will pick FOR you.]

[beautymarker]

[Oh jeez. Suga does, at least, have the good grace to look sheepish - he'd quietly hoped that Tsukishima would take him at his word about being fine, but he's also desperate for something to warm him up after being outside for so long. At least it's obvious that he wasn't angling for this outcome...]

Hot chocolate, please. And I owe you a drink with every post-practice cake from now on for this.

[All of it. He's putting on a brave face, but Suga really hates being reminded again and again and again of how pitiful he and his situation are right now. Just about his only saving grace is Tsukishima's enduring stoicism in the face of it all - if someone was fawning over him, Suga would just die of shame on the spot.]

[saltinourstars]

[Tsukki does not do 'Fawning.'.

He does do 'Get a damn drink so you don't die of dehydration and frostbite.' ]

Fine.

[While the barista works, he starts looking through a shelf of Sci Fi. He'll answer, if Suagawara says more. Otherwise the hunt is on for new (old) books.]

[beautymarker]

[At first, Sugawara just takes the opportunity to watch Tsukishima move around a space in which he feels comfortable, unrushed and unchallenged. There's a gradual loosening of posture, a softening of the stiff line of his mouth; before long, he doesn't look anything like the boy who so obviously has a caustic remark tucked behind his lips at all times just in case.

Tsukishima's always been interesting to Sugawara because his boundaries are so towering and opaque but the more sides of himself that he deigns to show, the more Sugawara wants to learn. He's like a 3d puzzle or model that keeps spawning new pieces to add finer and finer detail.]

Sci-fi, huh? [Curious, not at all judgmental or teasing.] What kind do you like best, space travel? Transhumanist? Political?

[saltinourstars]

[Tsukki's in his element. Flipping through titles. Occasionally he scoops one up, skimming pages with brow furrowed. Similar to how he looks on the court, without the gritted teeth. These choices are smaller. Only impact him. There's no team, no tests, just books.

He half forgets Sugawara's around. Looks up blinking.]

You're into Sci-Fi?

[Those are specific subsets.]

[beautymarker]

[Another little crack in that massive protective wall.]

Some of it, yeah! Mostly what I like is horror, but the best horror usually crosses over with sci-fi. What's scarier than a story that actually feels plausible, right?

[It's... probably not a surprise that the second-brightest sunshine boy on their team loves horror books and movies, huh.]

Those are always my favorite video games, too. Everything going wrong in all the worst possible ways because some technological or biological game-changer fell into the wrong hands.

[saltinourstars]

Hm.

[Just then, the order gets called. Tsukki takes his coffee, swigs it - No sugar, no cream - Then hands Sugawara the hot chocolate.]

I'm not that surprised. You're nice but you also have a sadistic streak.

You've seen Alien, right?

[beautymarker]

[Pardon Suga for a moment while he gapes at Tsukishima for drinking fresh, straight black coffee without even a wince.

... okay, now he accepts the hot chocolate and wraps both hands around it contentedly.]

Thanks again, Tsukishima-kun.

Of course, that's a classic! Have you seen The Fly? Just disgusting, it's one of my all-timers. [He blows across the top of his hot chocolate and takes a sip.] You still didn't answer, though. What kind of sci-fi do you like best?

[saltinourstars]

[Tsukki pulls a face.]

Yeah, I nearly puked. Never again.

[Braced by caffeine, he mulls over the topic.]

Space travel. I'll read other stuff, but if there's not a spaceship what's the point?

[beautymarker]

[If the grin that spreads across Sugawara's face gives Tsukishima a sudden feeling of dread, there's a very good reason for that.]

That makes sense - of course Tsuki wants to go to space!

[At least his hands are occupied so there's no hair-mussing?]

[saltinourstars]

Anything to get me off this rock.

[That is absolutely Sugawara's "Hair-Mussing" tone. Tsukki wonders when he learned it. Taking another sip of coffee, he glowers.]