Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“One hundred covers?!” Hinata looms over the host stand, gaping at the tablet in utter shock as Tadashi scrolls through the reservation list.

Sugawara scratches the back of his neck, smiling sympathetically. Anyone who knew the waiter would know this was something akin to a “customer service” smile, one Sugawara seemed to use even outside of taking orders, masking his discomfort for whatever problems at the restaurant may be. “I guess this is becoming more and more common for weeknights now that the weather is getting nicer.” 

The Black Crow was a contemporary casual restaurant, nestled in the heart of a small town near the coast, making them known for their fresh seafood, and community-like atmosphere that came with their location. Yet the recent development project in the neighboring city seemed to bring along a new crowd of young, college grads, moving into the city to find a job, make a name for themselves. And yet this also meant their small town had become a sort of tourist trap, far enough out of the city to take a break from the bustling atmosphere, yet close enough for quick travel and easy access. The new railway that came with the development project would help with this fact. It was great business for the restaurant, along with the other shops in town, yet for the workers,

“I hope that good-for-nothing train bursts into flames.”  

Now if there was one person who could flip their customer service on and off with an imaginary, magical, all-encompassing customer service switch, it was Tsukishima. It was honestly a mystery as to why someone with such a disdain toward people in general would ever become a service worker in the first place, but as Tsukishima liked to say, “My tips beg to differ.” 

“Hmm, I mean… we could all honestly use the money…” 

Everyone collectively groans at the waitress's expense.

“How dare u Kiyoko ,” Hinata clutches his chest and throws his head back dramatically. “You and your… logical thinking.”

Kiyoko was the senior most employee, aside from Chef Ukai. If there was anyone who could handle even the worst of dinner rushes, it was her. 

“I’m just saying. I mean, I know me and my-“

“Fiancé?” Everyone says in unison once again. It was practically restaurant legend at this point that Kiyoko was getting married to one of the restaurant's regulars. A personal trainer with a fancy new apartment waiting for Kiyoko back in the city. Betrayal , they had called it.  

“Don’t worry,” Tadashi reassures. “I’ve spaced out all the reservations between sections. As long as nobody has a problem with where I seat them, and we don’t have too many walk-ins , it’ll be a breeze . Everyone in and out, we’ll be done in no time!”

—

Well that was a complete joke. 

Of course a ton of customers wanted to change their seats the moment Tadashi took them to their table, therefore messing up his system. It made it impossibly harder to space out sections and reservations. The phone rang nonstop, customers asking for reservations within the hour, then chewing Tadashi out for not being able to accommodate.

“You put those regulars in my section? Do you have a death wish for me or something?” Sugawara grits this through his impenetrable server smile, walking past the host stand with something akin to murder in his eyes.  

A crash from across the restaurant, and a telltale wail, Hinata must’ve dropped another tray of drinks 

“ What do you mean an hour-long wait? We’re paying customers!” 

“I’m sorry sir , we’re completely booked for tonight.” 

“Yamaguchi! Why did you seat me again?!” Hinata whined. “I’m dying!” 

“So is everyone else.” Tadashi is whisper screaming at this point. 

“Yamaguchi! For the love of god, spread out the reservations a little more would ya? You’re killing us back here!”

“Sorry Chef!” 

“Yamaguchi, if Ryu comes in can you tell him I’m-“ 

“Kiyoko, I can’t sit him in your section , literally there is not a singular table in this place. He’s gonna have to start making reservations, or sit at the bar and have Daichi make him a drink or something , I can’t just seat him because he’s your-“

“Yamaguchi, table 24 needs to add another person to their-“ Tsukishima pauses, looking at Tadashi slightly bewildered. 

“Uh, are you-“ 

“No! I’m not ok, thanks for asking!” Yamaguchi grabs another menu from the shelf under the desk and stomps off to table 24. 

“Yamaguchi-“ Tsukishima follows behind Tadashi.

“ Yeah yeah , they added another person , I’ve got it.” 

“Listen just , can I have a minute?”

“Does it look like I have a minute?” He walks up to the table, forcing a smile. “Here’s that extra menu for you! Next time if you want to add another person to your party, try to let us know over the phone before you get here!” He still keeps his tone cheery, but he’s almost sure he can feel his eye twitch. He turns, trudging back to the host stand. 

“Yamaguchi, you’re stressed out , I can tell.” 

Yamaguchi chuckles bitterly. “Me? Stressed?” 

“I can help , just come with me, honest.” 

Yamaguchi would characterize himself as a rather mild-mannered individual, yet it was just something about these dinner rushes that made him snap. 

“Tsukishima,” He whirls around, facing the waiter. “I have a phone on hold right now, a party of six waiting for me at the host stand, and we’re running dangerously low on drink menus, so god already knows I’m going to have to go on some wild scavenger hunt to find more.” He steps closer to Tsukishima, looking up at him and craning his neck to do so , that freakishly tall beanpole 

“Not to mention I just sat you again , so I know you’re busy.” 

“It’ll be quick, I promise. Don’t you trust me?”

“No.” It was true. Tadashi had only known Tsukishima for about two months now, Tadashi being the newest employee of The Black Crow. And the way he so quickly and easily turned on his server persona was anything but trustworthy. Yet, Yamaguchi feels this might be the only time Tsukishima has ever tossed any amount of care in his direction. It’s not like Tsukishima was ever particularly rude to Tadashi, but that didn’t mean he was ever exactly nice to him either . 

Tadashi swallows his pride and sighs. “Fine, but if the people waiting on me right now get angry, I’m seating you again.” 

“Noted.” Tsukishima cocks his head, a signal for Tadashi to follow him back into the kitchen. 

Walking back here was a stressful endeavor in itself , Chef Ukai screaming orders at a currently overwhelmed cook Asahi, didn’t exactly add to the ambiance. 

Tsukishima seems to pay the scene no mind, slipping behind Nishinoya, who was currently manning at least 4 different frying pans. 

“Oh, Tsuki, you goin' in the walk-in? Can u get me some onions when you’re back there?” 

Tsukishima ignores the cook, opening the door to the walk-in fridge and ushering Tadashi inside , a cold gust of air wafting out in front of him. Tadashi follows the server inside, albeit quite cautiously. Tsukishima shuts the door behind them. 

“So, what was your plan here exactly?” Yamaguchi takes in his surroundings. “Not sure how produce is supposed to ease my stress levels.” 

“Scream.” 

Tadashi blinks at Tsukishima for a moment ,   before blurting out, “What?” 

“How do you think I keep myself from killing the customers?” 

That really was the million-dollar question.

“Whenever I’m annoyed or stressed, I’ll come back here and yell about it.” Tsukishima starts a list, counting off from his fingertips. “I’ve worked a double and I'm just about to leave when another table walks in? Walk-in scream. Someone tells me they hated their food as their entire plate just lies there, licked completely clean? Walk-in scream. Chef Ukai calls me an incompetent dumbass for asking him about the ingredients in a menu item? Walk-in scream.” 

The thought of Tsukishima screaming at all, albeit alone in a chilly box surrounded by vegetables, was an interesting one, to say the least. 

“Tsukishima, really I’m fine.” He moves to leave. “And even if I wanted to scream my head off in here, pretty sure Chef Ukai would scream right back at me for interrupting his cooking flow , or something.”

Tsukishima shakes his head. “That’s just the thing , it’s completely soundproof in here.” He pats a bag of mixed greens, face deadpan. “Pretty sure the lettuce absorbs it all.” 

Tsukishima was a true mystery to Tadashi. Of all the servers, he certainly had the worst attitude amongst them, yet at the end of the night, it was clear his tip count was almost always the highest. Perhaps it was his looks? Tadashi could admit, the waiter certainly wasn't anything dreadful to look at, quite the opposite if anything. But if that were the case, someone like Sugawara, all doe-eyed and pretty-faced, would be absolutely rolling in it by now. Not to mention Kiyoko’s nearly hypnotic presence, something that seemed to entrance any man in a near-mile radius. It couldn't have been his personality either. Tadashi can’t recall a single nice thing ever coming out of his mouth, and if personalities were the money makers here, Hinata’s innate ability to get along with anyone or anything, hell, even an old dirty gym sock could be charmed by the man, would have won him a fortune. 

Was this really his secret? Screaming alone in the walk-in fridge? 

Oh hell

Tadashi discards any self-respect he has for himself, tightly shuts his eyes, and breathes in. The sound that exits his body is one he wasn’t even sure he could produce. Everything after that seems to go silent in his mind. He feels dizzy. 

Tsukishima pauses for a while, before asking. “Well?”

Tadashi opens his eyes and blinks. The first thing he notices, he’s not in the slightest bit embarrassed about the fact he just shrieked as loud as he could while standing inside a human-sized refrigerator. Why did he even need to do that in the first place? 

Tsukishima smirks and cocks his head. “Better, right?”

—

Daichi pours Sugawara another shot from behind his post at the bar, Hinata whooping as the waiter gulps it down in one quick motion. 

In simple terms, on this particular night, The Black Crow had gotten absolutely slammed . The servers so often dealt with the residual stress by completely drinking it all away at the restaurant's bar after all the customers had finally gone home. Clearly, Sugawara had a less-than-easy night. 

“I,” He slams his glass down and slumps in his seat. “Hate old people.” His sentence is slightly slurred . “What do you mean it’s too loud in here? What do you want me to do about it?” 

Hinata sips at his can of beer, looking utterly defeated. “Don’t even get me started on when they complain about the temperature. Do I look like I have control over the thermostat?” 

Sugawara pushes his shot glass back toward Daichi, signaling for even more. 

Daichi takes the glass from Sugawara, yet holds it just out of reach. “C’mon Suga , I don’t need even more drunk people to deal with tonight.” He’s chuckling, but his tired expression is not lost on Tadashi. 

Sugawara groans loudly.

Tanaka stayed at the restaurant , he usually waited until Kiyoko was finished with her shift so he could drive the both of them back home. Sometimes he stayed with her while she drank with the other servers, this being one of those nights. Kiyoko usually wasn't too vocal about her stress levels , but her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose underneath her glasses and current death grip on her martini glass told a different story. Tanaka sat at the bar next to Kiyoko, arm slung around her, lightly massaging her right shoulder. Tadashi finds himself surprised to realize this actually isn't ticking him off for once. In fact, he hasn't had a single sip of alcohol yet, nor has even felt the need for one. 

Daichi continues fussing with Sugawara, finally shoving a glass of water in front of him with a mild protest from the waiter. He turns to Tadashi, a sympathetic look playing across his face. “Ur usual, Yamaguchi? Think tonight might've been the most stressed out I’ve seen you in a long time.” 

     I was stressed? For what? Tadashi can’t remember. 

“No thanks.” Tadashi feels, almost light. “Just a soda is fine.”

All of Hinata, Sugawara, and Kiyoko give him a stunned expression. 

“You snapped at me when I asked about a to-go order.” Kiyoko searches Tadashi’s face. 

Hinata nods. “I didn’t even know you could do that,” 

Sugawara interjects. “Yeah, and you actually spoke up for yourself when I complained about being seated again.” Sugawara laughs. “I mean, I can’t lie , I was kind of proud of you at that moment.” He mockingly pats his heart. “But I guess even Yamaguchi Tadashi can fall victim to the dinner rush.”

Tsukishima shrugs from his spot at the end of the bar, but there's almost something mischievous behind his eyes. “He seemed to pull himself together toward the end there.” 

Hinata thinks for a moment. “Yeah, you're right. You seemed to pull yourself back together right at the peak of it all.” 

Tadashi rakes his brain for a moment. When was peak service again? But a knowing look from Tsukishima, and it hits him. 

The walk-in scream. 

It’s also at this point that Tadashi realizes Tsukishima had never drank with the rest of them before. He was always sitting at the bar with them at the end of the night, but seemed to never once have felt the urge to drink away his emotions on behalf of a busy night. 

Was this really all because of those stupid screams? 

—

On Tuesday night, a party of nine comes in asking for a table, no reservation. Tadashi is sweating, hauling tables in the dining room and pushing them together, rushing to and from the storage closet to lug extra chairs out . When he gets back to seat the party, it seems they've decided they'd rather seat themselves at the bar instead. Yamaguchi watches them all with malice from his seat at the host stand. 

It doesn't help that about a dozen parties of two all come in shortly after, so Tadashi is back to pulling four heavy tables apart all over again. 

Tadashi trudges past Tsukishima. He keeps walking past him without giving him a single glance.“You’ve got table 19.”

“Sure.” Tsukishima pauses, a slight smirk apparent on his face, and turns. “Where are you going?”

Tadashi continues on. “Don’t wanna tell you.”

The walk-in air is refreshing, and the radishes listen to his qualms well. 

—

Wednesday night, Hinata rushes up to the host stand positively jittery. He speaks in a hushed tone, eyes wide with panic. 

“Yamaguchi!” It really was a feat how Hinata’s entire aura was still about ten decibels too loud, despite him whispering right now. “ Whyyy, would you seat that guy at my table?”

Tadashi hasn’t sat any regulars tonight, and for the most part, everyone he’s dealt with so far has been pretty easy. 

“You're going to have to elaborate.” 

“Table 14! Just look at him.” Hinata squints over at the two-top in the corner, glaring daggers at a twenty-something-year-old man sitting alone, with dark pin straight hair and dark blue eyes staring boredly down at his cellphone.  

“I don’t see the problem, exactly.” 

“Are you kidding me? Look at him closer!” Hinata looks utterly disgusted. “He’s like , crazy attractive.” 

“Uh,” Tadashi couldn't deal with this today. “And that’s a problem because…”  

“C'mon, are you joking?” Hinata is pulling at his orange mop of hair, nervous. “You know how I am! I’m gonna spill his drink all over him or something! This is- this is,” Hinata stammers. “Some kind of setup!” 

Tadashi sighs. “Go greet your table, Hinata.”

After mopping up an unreasonable amount of soda at Table 14 and fighting with Hinata over “Absolutely positively making sure nobody under the name Kageyama Tobio ever makes a reservation here ever again,” Tadashi dedicates tonight's walk-in scream to one ginger-haired waiter. 

—

On Thursday, 

Well, Thursday wasn’t so bad. 

Yamaguchi seats all of the reservations at their assigned section with no problems whatsoever. Everything runs smoothly, and all of the servers get sat at a steady, even pace. He even finds that he has enough time to help the rest of the servers roll silverware in the kitchen. They gossip amongst themselves, and it’s easy. At a certain point, they agree that Sugawara and Hinata can leave early since they both have to work a double tomorrow. Kiyoko has already taken it amongst herself to finish rolling her lot of silverware up at the bar with Tanaka. Tsukishima and Tadashi continue to polish the last rack of glasses in between Tsukishima’s check-ins on his last table. He just gave them their bill when he came back in to finish up the last few glasses. 

“You're a pretty good host, y’know.” Tsukishima keeps looking down at his glass, cloth squeaking against it as he polishes. 

Tadashi is caught completely off guard. Since Hinata and Sugawara left, it had been pretty silent between the two of them. 

“Uh,” Tadashi doesn't exactly know how to respond. He and Tsukishima have never really had any one-on-one time before, he realizes. 

“I mean, our last hostess always sat us super unevenly. It was a pain , we wound up just having to figure out who got what tables amongst ourselves.” He sets down the polished glass and picks up another one. “Your way of sectioning is convenient.” 

Tadashi still can’t find a way to respond. He finds himself getting transfixed by the way Tsukishima's forearm looks as he moves the cloth around the rim of the glass. 

“It’s nice that you notice what we all like too.” He pushes his glasses up with his index finger. 

When did Tsukishima become so talkative? 

“You sit Sugawara closer to the bar so he can chat with Daichi longer when he waits on him to make a drink for his table. You put Kiyoko in the far corner because the fluorescent lights in the middle of the dining room bother her eyes.” 

Tadashi didn’t think this was that big of a deal. It was the most he could do to keep everyone at least a little happy, right? 

“You put Hinata wherever you need to because you know he likes moving around. And you put me closest to the kitchen because you know I hate running food across the whole restaurant. So,” He finally looks up from the glass, golden eyes peering through blonde lashes and silver frames lazily. He looks Tadashi right in the eye, and it makes his stomach coil. “Thanks.” 

Tadashi stares back for a moment too long, before realizing he hasn't said anything. 

Tsukishima sets down his glass and walks out of the kitchen to collect the bill. Tadashi feels the sudden urge to flee, and so he does. 

He didn't think tonight would warrant a walk-in scream. Well if anything, this was more of a walk-in squeal . What was wrong with him? 

—

Tadashi prepares for the worst on Friday. It was always the hardest day of the week, and with the way the week had already been going, he didn't have much faith. 

Tadashi couldn't have prepared enough . 

It begins when Kiyoko calls out sick. She’s apologizing to Tadashi profusely over the phone through sniffles and sneezes. He reassures her it’s fine , and to get well soon, but if anything he feels like crawling through the receiver and strangling her. 

In the first five minutes of the restaurant being open, he’s seated three parties of four , a party of six , and already had to ask two people over the phone to “hold please ”.

Every time Tadashi comes back to the host stand after seating someone, there are at least five more people waiting there for him. Every time he walks past the kitchen on his way back from seating someone, Chef Ukai is screaming for food runners, and with Kiyoko being gone and the look Chef Ukai gives Tadashi as he passes by, he’s also running at least three plates of food every five minutes. Hinata rushes past Tadashi on his way to the server station, sweat on his forehead and a frazzled look on his face. 

“Like ten people are at the host stand right now Yamaguchi !” 

Yamaguchi bites his tongue, forcing a respectful tone. “On it.”

Figuring out seating on the tablet at the host stand, Tsukishima passes by with at least four plates in his hands. “More food in the window Yamaguchi .” 

“Yep, I’ve got it.” He doesn’t really, but if he doesn't want Chef Ukai to chew him out right now, he’ll find a way. 

“Table 8 is asking for a seat away from the music speaker,” Sugawara says, passing by Tadashi as he runs drinks to table 18. 

“Sure, let me just pull more tables out of my ass,” Tadashi grumbles to himself. 

“What was that?

“No problem!” 

Hinata leans up against the host stand, bouncing anxiously on the balls of his feet. “Um, my table took it amongst themselves to move to the booth by the window. You don’t have anyone reserved for there, do you?” 

Of course I did. Tadashi swallows, feigning contentment. “Well, let's just hope your guys are out of here by six o’clock!” 

“I dunno, they’re still deciding on an entree, so..” 

Tadashi doesn't even have to think twice about it anymore. He’s in the walk-in cursing at the top of his lungs and punching a bag of spinach for good measure. 

As he’s leaving the kitchen, Ukai looks on the verge of exploding, eight plates in the window and not a food runner in sight. Tadashi sighs and picks up the appetizers going to table eleven. It’s not lost on him that he’s not exactly feeling as content as he usually does post-scream. It was going to be a long night. 

—

A middle-aged man is yelling at Tadashi for his takeout order not being ready, making a scene and, as Tadashi so begrudgingly admits it, causing tears to begin prickling up behind his eyes. 

Tadashi never let customers get to him like this. If a customer is taking the energy to yell at him, a service worker who has nothing to do with the current issue, it was their problem, and quite frankly embarrassing on their behalf. But Tadashi is tired. And keeping up an apologetic, ass-kissing attitude, was taking a lot out of him. 

“Sir,” He tries to not let his voice waver, but fails. “Our kitchen is working on it right now. We’re really busy tonight, so-”

“Bullshit! I ordered this food half an hour ago. You're going to go check on it, tell them to hurry their asses up, or you're losing another paying customer!” 

Tadashi takes a shaky breath, readying himself to make another empty apology, when someone behind them scoffs. 

“ Oh no, however will we go on,” Tsukishima seems to materialize before them, sauntering over to the host stand and looking the man before Tadashi right in the eye. He mockingly clutches at his chest. “Losing an almighty, singular, paying customer. ” He flicks a fake tear from his eye. 

Tadashi just watches him, in awe.  

The man before them sputters, embarrassingly. “I-you, this is- ”. If Tadashi wasn’t so broken right now, he would be trying hard not to laugh. “I cannot believe this is how you treat your customers!” His face is red with anger. “I’ll be taking my business elsewhere, thank you very much!” He stomps out of the restaurant dramatically, slamming the door with a bang.

Tsukishima huffs. “Thank goodness.” He turns to look at Tadashi, face proud and clearly expecting a laugh from the host. 

Tadashi finds that he can only sniffle, his throat burning from holding back all the tears. 

Tsukishima’s face changes entirely. He becomes almost soft as he leans down to Tadashi, lightening his tone. “Hey, are you alright?” 

Tadashi simply shakes his head.  

Anger now replaces any amount of softness, Tsukishima looking at the door with an amount of outrage. “That asshole.” Tsukishima grabs Tadashi’s arm and clumps off to the kitchen, host in tow. 

Tsukishima is practically throwing Tadashi into the walk-in, slamming the door behind the both of them. He crosses his arms. “As loud as you can, let's hear it.”

Tadashi only sniffles more. 

“C'mon, what would you have wanted to say to him, huh?”

Tadashi just shakes his head. “Tsukishima, I-”

“No? Because I could go on about that guy all day. I’ll do it for you.” Tsukishima takes a deep breath in, and calls out. 

“FUCK YOU!”

It’s the loudest Tadashi has ever heard the man, and the suddenness of it all startles Tadashi.

“Fuck you asshole ! Fuck this fucking job, fuck this restaurant,” He takes another breath in. “And fuck the annoying ass people at table fourteen for making a mess all over the fucking floor!” Tsukishima sighs out and settles himself, staring back at Tadashi, a slight smile playing at the edge of his lips. “Sorry,” He breathes. “Had to get my own jab in there too.” His face is expectant, like he’s waiting for Tadashi to laugh or smile or, something, anything.  

Tadashi can’t help the tears that begin to flow from his eyes. “It won't work.” He can’t believe he’s crying right now. In front of Tsukishima, someone who probably has to deal with assholes at the restaurant far more frequently than he does. He hates how the chilliness of the fridge is only making him sniffle even more. “I already came in here earlier. Everything just got worse after that.” He wipes his eyes with his sleeve. “It’s not working anymore.” 

Surprisingly enough, Tsukishima looks sympathetic. Tadashi wasn't even sure he had sympathy. Delicately, Tsukishima approaches Tadashi, placing a hand on his bicep. He’s clearly trying to look Tadashi in the face, but Tadashi is still looking down at the floor embarrassed . He can’t believe he's so pathetic right now that Tsukishima of all people has to comfort him.

“Hey,” He’s speaking quietly. “I get it , trust me, I do.”

And Tadashi did trust that. Tadashi had to deal with people for only moments. Tsukishima was the one stuck with them for entire dinner services. He was being weak. Tsukishima certainly was thinking just that right now. 

Something in the air shifted just then. Tadashi wasn't sure if Chef was turning down the thermostat in here to keep the produce cooler, or maybe it was the look in Tsukishima’s eyes when Tadashi finally decided to look back up at him. 

It was not lost on Tadashi that Tsukishima was tall , but the angle at which Tadashi had to crane his neck in order to look at his face was making their height difference all the more apparent. Tsukishima began moving his hand up and down, rubbing  Tadashi’s arm, speaking even quieter, so close that the words were clearly only ever meant for Tadashi’s ears. “There's another way to help get rid of stress , you know .”  

A shiver runs down Tadashi’s spine at both the contact and tone of Tsukishima’s voice. Tsukishima, being so so soft with him right now. When did it ever start to feel like this between them? When did Tsukishima start caring about how Tadashi felt, sticking up for him no less? Tsukishima, the reason that Tadashi was relying on time alone in the walk-in all week to take away his stress. Tsukishima, who only wanted to help.

Tadashi decides to take Tsukishima’s help once again , now . It feels like only a moment in which Tadashi is pressed back against the cold metal door, Tsukishima mouthing at his neck all the while. 

The taller of the two slots his leg in between Tadashi’s, and presses up, earning a whine from the host. Shh, he coos in Tadashi’s ear. Still worried, still comforting. 

Tadashi’s hands find solace on Tsukishima’s shoulders, as Tsukishima’s play at Tadashi’s hips. His head is spinning. Tadashi experiments, grinding down on Tsukishima’s leg. Tsukishima meets him halfway, moving his leg up even more. 

“Good, just like that. Take what you need, Tadashi.”

Tadashi’s brain is going to explode. They’re not even fucking, and this is by far the most erotic situation he’s ever been in.

Tsukishima is so, nice  

Tsukishima is licking at Tadashi’s ear as his cock begins to strain in his slacks. Tsukishima’s long fingers brushing at his crotch aren't helping the situation.

Tsukishima cares about me

Tsukishima begins to nibble at Tadashi’s ear as he fully cups Tadashi’s growing erection. Tadashi’s arms are now wrapped completely around Tsukishima’s shoulders, holding himself as he writhes against the man, sputtering utter and complete nonsense all the while . 

“Tsukki, I- shit, this is-”

Tsukishima wants to help me  

Tadashi allows Tsukishima to unzip his slacks, his cold fingers brushing up against Tadashi’s cock, making him shudder. 

He talks him through it, kissing and biting at Tadashi’s shoulder while he pumps him, earning more whines from the shorter of the two. At some point, Tsukishima’s other hand moves around to Tadashi’s ass, squeezing and prodding at the flesh there. Tadashi is so close-

“Hmm, you're so good Tadashi , that's it.”

Tadashi is moving with Tsukishima now, pushing his hips up and into Tsukishima’s hand. 

“Such a good boy,” Tsukishima is whispering in Tadashi’s ear. 

Tadashi comes like this. 

—

Tadashi is dazed, and flinches when he hears the walk-in door open again. It’s just Tsukishima, and he’s carrying a box of tissues. Tadashi stands, mind blank as Tsukishima cleans him up, rezipping his slacks and straightening out his shirt. 

Tsukishima readjusts his glasses, brushes himself off, and moves to leave, before speaking naturally, no hint of what he had gotten up to only moments prior in his tone. “If you ever need me, just ask.”

The door shuts with a bang, and it’s suddenly that it all hits Tadashi. 

What. The fuck.

Chapter Text

It’s the end of the night, and they're all sitting at the bar, somehow more beaten down than they've looked all week. Tadashi’s unsure of how he even made it to this point. The rest of his night was a complete blur. 

Sugawara sits cross-legged, typing something furiously into his phone. “I’m sending that good-for-nothing waitress a strongly worded email. ” From the looks of it, he was just texting Kiyoko an incredibly long paragraph riddled with spelling mistakes and sarcastic remarks. 

“It’s… alright.” Tadashi’s speech seems to be on autopilot. His head feels cloudy. “She was… just sick… so…”

“Woah,” Hinata waves a hand in front of Tadashi’s face with no reaction from the latter. “Earth to Yamaguchi. Anyone in there?” 

“Dinner rush finally broke him.” Sugawara is still typing. “I’ll make sure to add that in here as well,” Sugawara spoke as he typed out, broke… our… host…

But, was Tadashi really broken ? He doesnt think he would put it that way. More like, rediscovered. 

The sound of Tsukishima’s voice breaks up Tadashi’s thoughts. “He handled everything well.” Tsukishima actually sounds sincere for once, and that is what aggravates Tadashi to no end. 

—

Saturday, Tadashi tells Tsukishima about his reservation times, he tells him he has a party of six at table 15, he tells him there's food in the window, and every single time Tsukishima just says something like ok, or, got it, and that's that. Tsukishima is the same as he always is, always has been, and it makes Tadashi want to scream. So he does. In the walk-in. Three separate times. And every time he still comes out of the thing very much bothered and pissed off. 

It’s still the weekend, and people are still the worst. The thought hangs over Tadashi’s head like a dark cloud, but he presses it down, down, even after they run out of kids' menus and he’s fighting with the printer in the break room to just cooperate and print more. 

He’s setting tables in Hinata’s section when Hinata clips a table corner and three wine glasses tumble to the floor. “Whoops!” Is all Hinata says as he continues rushing past. 

As Tadashi sweeps up the broken glass, the cloud hangs heavier. 

“Want some help?” It’s Tsukishima, and Tadashi’s first reaction is to yell at him. No I don’t need your help anytime I’m stressed and-

Tsukishima’s face looks completely neutral, devoid of any innuendo. He’s just asking about the glass, idiot Tadashi

Tadashi brushes him off as easily as he can manage, which is not very easily at all. “I'm fine. It’s fine.” He wills his cheeks to stop burning. Tsukishima leaves him be. 

At one point there is a lull in service, and Tadashi is simply sitting at the host stand, blankly. His eyes wander the restaurant, observing. 

Daichi is making a drink at the bar, and Sugawara is gossiping to him about something while he waits. Did Sugawara ever actually get any work done around here? Daichi hands Sugawara the whisky glass for his table, and Sugawara does something akin to batting his eyelashes before heading off. It's interesting , noticing it, to say the least.  

Hinata is giving the bill to his table. He hands it to the baby in the highchair and her family roars with laughter. 

Kiyoko is running food, doing an impressive balancing act holding five plates all at once. 

Tsukishima is pouring the couple at table 16 each a glass of champagne. The sleeves of his white button up are rolled just above his elbow, his forearm is flexing as he pours. He sets the unfinished bottle in between the two of them, says something and smiles. It was weird, looking at him doing that. The couple looks happy, they say something and Tsukishima looks like he’s laughing. 

Seriously, what was with him? 

Tsukishima nods and leaves them be, heading off to the kitchen. Red hot rage overtakes Tadashi. The phone rings. 

“Thank you for calling The Black Crow, please hold.” He doesnt let the person on the other end get an answer in as he’s hitting the hold button and slamming down the receiver. He scoots out of his chair wildly, and marches off to the kitchen, intercepting Tsukishima on his way and dragging him by the arm. 

“Is everything ok?” Tsukishima always asks this, so annoying. 

“Shut up shut up shut up,” It’s Tsukishima who’s being thrown into the walk-in now. Tadashi slams the door, focus not leaving Tsukishima as he shoves him against a crate of cabbages. The bastard has the nerve to act surprised. 

Tadashi slumps his head on Tsukishima’s shoulder, fumbling with the zipper of his pants wildly. 

“Woah, hey…” Tsukishima takes Tadashi’s hands lightly, pries them away from his zipper, and holds them at his side. “Let’s take it slow.”

“Can’t,” Tadashi tries to move his hands again, but Tsukishima’s hold is firm. Tadashi huffs. “I have a call on hold.” 

Tsukishima flips them easily, pressing Tadashi’s back into the crate. He rakes his hands lightly down Tadashi’s body as he sinks to his knees, tracing lines along the backs of Tadashi's thighs while looking up at him through hooded eyes. “They can wait a little longer.” And the asshole has the nerve to smirk at him. He keeps eye contact with Tadashi as he places a small kiss on his cock through his pants. Tadashi bites his lip hard and feels himself twitch at the contact. Tsukishima drags down Tadashi’s zipper with his teeth, and it's sexy, unnervingly so. Tadashi wants to scream at him for it. 

Tsukishima noses and mouths at Tadashi through his boxers until Tadashi’s legs are shaking, and he’s practically begging for it. 

“Tsukishima, shit-” The grip Tadashi has on the crate behind him is splintering. “Just get it on with already.” His voice is shaking wildly and it's beyond embarrassing. 

“So needy,” But Tsukishima complies, pulling Tadashi’s boxers down allowing his cock to spring free. He noses and kisses at the base of it some more, and it’s taking all of Tadashi’s strength and willpower to not force Tsukishima’s entire mouth on him already. Tsukishima licks a stripe up the bottom, and Tadashi’s mind goes foggy. He grips the base, pumping on it lightly as he kisses and licks at the tip. Tsukishima murmurs something in between kisses, 

So good, so pretty Tadashi

Why was it like this? Tsukishima praising and doting on Tadashi during a fucking quickie in the walk-in fridge in the middle of dinner service. 

Tadashi has to gulp down a moan when Tsukishima’s entire mouth goes down on him. It’s good, really good, and Tadashi has to take everything in him to not come on the spot. Tsukishima's tongue is working up and down the base of Tadashi’s shaft, so slow that it's torturous. Tadashi loses what little self-respect he has left when he moves his hand to Tsukishima’s head, gripping the cropped blonde hair there and allowing his hips to buck up into Tsukishima’s mouth. Tsukishima takes it with no complaint, and Tadashi can feel the back of Tsukishima’s throat open for him nicely. 

“Tsukki, fuck, this is, I’m gonna,”

But Tsukishima continues on, a final suck from the waiter and Tadashi is coming down his throat. Tsukishima swallows him down, greedily, and Tadashi wonders if this is real life. 

The person on the other end of the phone is annoyed at Tadashi, yelling at him for taking too long, and Tadashi can’t find it in himself to care. 

—

The next week continues like this some more. Tadashi will get annoyed at something, and take it out on Tsukishima in the walk-in. Tsukishima always seems to be free, even though Tadashi is fairly certain there's almost always something else he should rather be doing that doesn't involve getting Tadashi off inside a chilly human-sized refrigerator. Sometimes Tsukishima notices something is off with Tadashi, and he offers. Mostly it's Tadashi dragging Tsukishima back to the kitchen without another word or protest from the waiter. But it always goes the same way. Tsukishima praises Tadashi, makes him come, and they leave it at that. Never once had Tsukishima gotten off, nor made it seem like he needed to. Tadashi doesn't ask questions, but he grows curious. 

It’s Friday again and Tadashi's back is pressed up against Tsukishima's chest as he whispers sweet nothings into his ear and pumps him, hard. All of the reservations had been coming in late, and they were messing up his sections, so this was obviously Tadashi’s next course of action. 

Something had been plaguing Tadashi though. It usually slips his mind once they get into it, but for some reason, he’s remembering it now. 

“Tsukki,” Tadashi’s breath is ragged.

“Hmm?” Tsukishima is kissing the backside of Tadashi’s ear. 

“What if-” Tsukishima squeezes Tadashi harder and Tadashi moans. “What if someone comes in?” 

Tsukishima nuzzles at Tadashi’s hair, but doesn't stop what he’s doing. “Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control.” 

Tadashi can’t help himself to even think about it anymore, and comes. 

After Tadashi floats down from his orgasm, straightening out his shirt and stuffing himself back into his pants, he notices Tsukishima moving to leave and stops him. 

“Uh, Tsukishima.” 

Tsukishima stops and asks easily. “What is it?” His tone is back to normal again, all deadpan and devoid of any strong emotion. 

“What did you mean by, having it under control …”

“Oh.” Tsukishima delivers his next line as nonchalantly as a person could. “I let Sugawara know so he can keep an eye on who goes into the kitchen.” 

Tadashi pauses for a moment as his stomach drops.

“Y-you,” Tadashi can’t find the words, he’s a sputtering mess. “What?!” Tadashi was under the impression that this was strictly between the both of them. He’s not exactly sure how he feels about Sugawara wielding the information that the two of them were always going back into the kitchen to do, well, this. 

Tsukishima scoffs. “Oh please. I’ve been keeping an eye on him and Daichi’s wine cellar hook-ups for months. He owes me one.” 

Tsukishima leaves him, and Tadashi is all too aware of the new mental image Tsukishima has just granted him. He’s not exactly sure he’s very welcoming of it. 

—

“Party for two, please.” 

Tadashi keeps his gaze down at the tablet, tapping through different tables until he finds an open one. 

“Um, also, if you don’t mind…” 

Here we go, he’s surely about to ask something impossible of Tadashi. 

“Can you put us in that really short server’s section?” 

Luckily the next two-top table was set to go to Hinata anyway, so Tadashi obliges. The regulars love Hinata. He’s funny and bright, it’s not out of the ordinary that someone asks for him. Tadashi grabs a menu and looks up at the man in front of him. 

“You can follow me!” He smiles back at the man, whose expression doesn’t really say much of anything at all. He’s sure he’s seen him before, maybe he came in for dinner some other time? Yet he is certain that he’s never seen the girl with him. She’s small, with blonde hair and a deer-in-the-headlights expression anytime he catches her eye. It’s weird , but Tadashi deals with weirdos all the time, and thinks nothing of it when he brings the two to their table. 

“Alright,” He sets down their menus in front of them. Ok, this man was really familiar, and at this point, it was bothering Tadashi to no end. He must've been staring for a little too long, because the other man is looking at him like he’s crazy. 

“Um, I’ll have a server with you shortly!” Tadashi scurries off. He scans the restaurant for Hinata to let him know his table is here, but when he finally spots him, Hinata is already glaring daggers back at Tadashi. He mouths something along the lines of 

What is your problem? 

Tadashi has no clue what this is about, so he just gives Hinata a dirty look, and heads back to the host stand. This must be a really big problem for Hinata because he meets him there and is already whisper screaming something before he’s even fully at the host stand. 

“This is some kind of joke, huh? You think this is funny?” 

“Hinata, what are you talking about? You have plenty of time to take this table, and everyone else is busy right now. It’s only two people.” 

“ Only two people? Do you even know who one of the two people is?”

So Tadashi was right about him being familiar at least. With the way Hinata was acting, maybe he was some celebrity, some famous TV person or something? Tadashi’s expression must give away his unfamiliarity, because Hinata groans. 

“It’s that hot guy I spilled soda all over! Don’t you remember?” 

Now Tadashi remembers. That entire conundrum resulted in one of Tadashi’s first walk-in screams. 

“I thought I told you to not take any reservations for someone under his name!” Hinata griped. 

“Well, he didn’t have a reservation so…” 

“Yamaguchiiiii,” Hinata whines.

“I don’t think last time went as bad as you think it did. I mean, he asked for you by name.” 

“He remembered my name?” A curiosity overtakes Hinata's expression. 

“Well, he asked for the really short server.”

Hinata grunts. “That jerk!” 

“Hinata, it’ll be fine, I’m sure of it. He’s here on a date so-”

“A date?” Why did Hinata look so, disappointed?

“What?” Tadashi speaks in a sarcastic tone. “You wanted him for yourself?” Tadashi is kidding, so why does Hinata’s face look like that right now? Tadashi shakes his head “You are so weird Hinata.” 

Hinata shoves Tadashi, but it doesn’t stop the red from spreading across his face. “Can you at least just run them their drinks for me? I can’t spill again!”

“Not my job.” 

“If you don’t do it, I’ll tell Ukai about how sometimes you’ll tell people on the phone that we don’t have enough room for them, even though I’m like ninety-nine percent sure we definitely do.”  

“You wouldn’t-” 

—

Tadashi is sure that his grip on the drinks he’s holding could shatter the glass at this rate. He inhales sharply as he reaches the table, forcing a smile.

“Here are those drinks for you!” He places a diet soda in front of the man, who he is now definitely not sure of what Hinata sees in him, as his expression is just downright awkward and off-putting. He places an iced tea in front of the girl. They make eye contact briefly before she glances away, looking almost frightened. 

The man clears his throat before speaking. “Uh, is Hinata not serving us anymore?” He looks almost disappointed. 

Tadashi wants to tell him that no, he’s just deciding to blackmail me into doing his job for him, but instead keeps smiling and says, “No don’t worry, I’m just helping him out real quick!” 

The man seems to relax, and for some reason, it was now the girl's turn to look disappointed. Tadashi moves to leave, but he can’t stop his own curiosity, and pauses. 

“Sorry, sir, but if you don’t mind me asking,” If Hinata wanted to use some dirt on Tadashi against him, then he might as well do the same for Hinata. “Why would you come back here and ask specifically for the server who spilled soda all over you?” Tadashi honestly expects the man to get offended, but his face is instead overtaken with an outright creepy grin.

“He told me it would never happen again, so I wanted to test that theory.” His brow furrows, and it’s very honestly really weird. No way was this guy getting competitive over a basic customer service response. He clicks his tongue and crosses his arms, leaning back in his chair. “Guess since he’s making host do it for him though, he really is just a coward after all.” 

Tadashi decides it's time to leave the freak customer be, chuckling awkwardly and leaving the table. He can’t shake the feeling of the girl's gaze on him as he walks away, and is weirded out significantly more. He does a one-over of the restaurant, searching for Hinata so he can tell him to take weirdo couple's entree. Instead, he catches sight of Sugawara standing way too close to Daichi behind the bar while refilling his table’s waters, gross, and Tsukishima standing by the host stand tapping his foot and crossing his arms. He looks frustrated, to say the least. 

Tadashi approaches, “Hey, did you need something?”

Tsukishima keeps his gaze toward the door. “Did table 17 leave?”

“Ages ago, why?”

Tsukishima silently curses to himself. “Those assholes didn't pay.”

“Huh?” If anything, Tadashi was angry on Tsukishima’s behalf. Not only was Tsukishima missing out on a tip, but that was a party of seven who probably drank enough alcohol to dry out the entirety of Daichi’s stock. Tsukishima was missing out on a huge tip. “Damn, sorry Tsukki.”

Tsukishima just sighs before trudging away. “Yeah, whatever.” 

—

It gets slower later into the evening, so Tadashi uses his extra time to roll silverware in the kitchen. Servers come in and out at a steady pace. Tadashi will catch Kiyoko out of the corner of his eye tapping whatever orders into the POS machine. Hinata and Sugawara have enough time to eat the extra appetizers Chef made before they check on their tables again. Yet Tadashi notices that maybe all too often he’s catching sight of a familiar blonde head of hair in his periphery, rushing in and out of the kitchen time and time over. At maybe his sixth rush back into the kitchen holding what seemed to be a full plate of uneaten food, Tadashi asks, 

“Everything ok, Tsukishima?” Asking this, god he sounded like the server himself. 

“Gunna kill table 11. I don’t think there's been a single plate of food I’ve brought them that they didn't find something wrong with.” He says this as he’s still rushing, snapping something at Asahi while he’s at it. “Isn't this your job? For the last time, they wanted medium, not medium rare .” 

—

Tsukishima can usually keep his cool pretty easily, but Tadashi guesses even he could reach a breaking point. He’s pressing the touch screen numbers so hard, Tadashi is sure that he could shatter the whole machine. He’s grumbling to himself, something about an eight percent tip. Tadashi rolls up his last set of silverware. 

“You sure everythings alright, Tsukki?”

“Sure,” Tsukishima chuckles bitterly. “Just working my ass off to maybe make at most minimum wage. Yep, everything is great.” He sighs loudly, grabs the bin of silverware Tadashi has just finished up with and moves to leave. Tadashi gets an idea, grabs Tsukishima’s wrist and moves it to set the silverware back down again. He rubs circles into his wrist with his thumb, and Tsukishima pauses for a moment, maybe pauses for the first time since service started, eyes widening slightly. Tsukishima gets the idea right away, just like he had gotten it perfectly easily all week. This was nothing out of the ordinary, Tsukishima dropping whatever he was doing on the dime to weave his way through the back of the kitchen, Tadashi in tow. 

Once they’re inside the walk-in, Tsukishima is already scrambling with Tadashi’s zipper and pushing him up against the door. There's a franticness to it that there never was before, especially coming from Tsukishima. Tadashi stops Tsukishima, grabs his wrist, and rubs circles there again. He speaks to Tsukishima softly, perhaps with a bit of mischievousness to his tone. “Hey, let’s do something different,” 

This time Tadashi flips them, hands on Tsukishima’s hips and leg slotted in between his, a reverse of their first walk-in encounter. Tsukishima looks confused if anything. “Yamaguchi, really, I’m not expecting anything back from you, so if you would just let me,”

“Don’t you want me to?” Tadashi cocks his head and presses his leg up, earning a small shudder from Tsukishima. 

Tsukishima pauses for a moment, before biting his lip and nodding vigorously.  

Tadashi is on his knees in an instant. The floor is cold, go figure, and slightly damp, but he’ll manage. Tadashi moves his hands around to the backside of Tsukishima’s waist, untying his apron and letting it fall to the floor. With the extra bit of fabric gone, Tadashi can tell Tsukishima is already half hard. Tadashi unzips his slacks, then pulls down his boxer briefs, letting both drop in a pool around Tsukishima’s ankles along with his apron. After that, Tadashi is able to pump Tsukishima to full hardness easily. He can hear Tsukishima’s breath waver, but other than that, he stays silent. 

That is until after a few wet kisses to the tip and Tadashi’s entire mouth is on him. Tsukishima is a blubbering mess. 

Tadashi can feel Tsukishima touching the back of his throat. Using an overly intense amount of concentration to not choke on the thing, he looks up at Tsukishima to see the server is looking back down at him, one hand gripping the bottom of his shirt, knuckles white, the other balled up in a fist that he’s biting down on, hard. A particularly long suck from Tadashi and Tsukishima is shutting his eyes, throwing his head back, and moaning loudly. Tsukishima is vocal, and Tadashi has never been more thankful for the sound-proofing in here than right now. 

Before long, Tsukishima is a writhing mess. “Tadashi, please, I’m gonna-”

Tadashi pays him no mind as he licks a final stripe up the underside of Tsukishima. 

Tsukishima is apologizing vigorously, wiping come off of Tadashi's cheek with a napkin. For some reason Tadashi feels the need to laugh, so he does. 

—

The two of them leave the kitchen together, zero evidence whatsoever of their prior activity. Tsukishima moves to check back in on his last table, and Tadashi to his post back at the host stand. Before they can split up, a girl's voice stops Tadashi. 

“Um, excuse me?” 

Tadashi stops and realizes it's the weird guy’s weird date, the one from Hinata’s table. She’s wringing her hands nervously. He originally thinks she’s maybe trying to get Tsukishima’s attention, as there’s a good chance Hinata is avoiding them entirely and waiting for them to find another server to get the bill from. She holds out something for Tadashi, and he realizes she’s speaking to him. 

She makes eye contact with Tadashi and this time doesn't look away, which is quite honestly looking to be a bit of a struggle for her, but she's doing it nonetheless. “This is for you…” 

He holds out his hand and realizes she’s handing him a rather large tip. Large in the sense that well, he’s not their server so why was she tipping him at all? 

She must see the confusion on his face, because she flinches, and speaks quickly. “I was leaving but um, trying to look for you!” She smiles nervously, but it’s a sweet smile either way. “You brought us our drinks and um, dealt with my friend's weirdness so, thanks!”

“Oh!” Tadashi rarely got tipped as a host, so this was strange for him. “Thank you! But, please, I can’t-” 

She cuts him off. “I’m Yachi, by the way.” 

“Oh, uh-” The look on her face is expectant, so Tadashi assumes she’s waiting for him to introduce himself as well. “I’m Yamaguchi.” 

Yachi smiles, seemingly a bit more confident in herself now. “Well, see you around, Yamaguchi.” 

“Uh, yeah,”

Before he can say anything else, she turns to leave. 

Tadashi turns to Tsukishima, wants to ask him what that was all about? But from the looks of it, he’s already gone on his way. 

—

The entire staff is practically oohing and ahhing at the receipt sitting on the bar counter. A phone number scribbled below the signature and as Hinata puts it, one he got all by himself . He’s leaning back in his chair, arms crossed and expression far too proud. They all knew Hinata did nothing in particular to warrant the number, it was pure luck he had even gotten it at all. 

“What’s even more surprising is that it’s from that grumbly guy who was sitting over at table 8,” Kiyoko says, matter of factly. 

Tadashi’s eyes widen at this. “That guy?”

Both Sugawara and Daichi look just as surprised. “I thought he was on a date, no?” Daichi asks. 

Sugawara shrugs. “Maybe they need a third.” He snickers. “That girl was pretty cute too, don’t you think so Hinata?” 

Hinata looks beyond annoyed. “Nuh-uh, there’s no way they could have been together. I mean even if they were, that’d be kind of awkward with the heart eyes that girl was giving Yamaguchi all night.” 

Everyone collectively turns in Tadashi’s direction. 

“Oh?” Kiyoko raises her eyebrow at Tadashi. 

“Uh,” Tadashi scratches the back of his neck. “I guess that would explain this then?” He pulls the tip from earlier out of his pocket. 

“Woah, nice!” Hinata claps Tadashi on the back. “And- hey wait, this is like basically the tip I made from serving their asses all night. ” 

Tadashi shrugs, “Guess I’m just that much better at serving drinks than you.” 

Everyone laughs, some making jabs and Hinata all the while. Well, everyone except Tsukishima. Tadashi hardly even notices him until he scoots out of his chair, which is odd, considering he practically lived for making fun of the ginger. The metal chair legs screeching loudly across the floor was the main thing announcing his presence right now. “I’m off, see you guys tomorrow.” He leaves quickly after. 

“What was his problem?” Hinata asks. 

“He’s Tsukishima, he always has a problem.” Kiyoko shrugs. 

“He’s just jealous he didn't get a phone number~” Sugawara wiggles his eyebrows, and they get back into their previous banter easily. 

—

Another week passes, and Tadashi finds he’s been rather content lately. He hasn't entered the walk-in once, not to scream, and not with Tsukishima. Neither of them seemed to have needed the relief, and so they left it at that. At least, that's what Tadashi thinks this probably is. Tsukishima has been quiet in the past few days and hasn't checked in on Tadashi or made any fuss to showcase he might need a certain kind of break. Tadashi guesses this week has been for the most part, pretty much fine for everyone in the restaurant. 

Of course Hinata is the one to disrupt this unforeseen moment of peace. He calls out sick on Friday, blames it on Kiyoko even though she was sick nearly two weeks ago.

Weirdo guy comes in again with Yachi, gets disappointed when Tadashi tells him Hinata's out sick, but doesn’t complain more than that. At least Hinata was interested in a guy who didn't take out his frustrations on service workers. 

He sits them in Kiyoko’s section and Yachi smiles at him brightly the whole walk to their table. He politely ignores it. She tries to make an excuse to talk to him, asking him about the specials or something. Tadashi doesn't know but tells her Kiyoko should and leaves them be. As he turns to leave he spots Tsukishima out of the corner of his eye, who looks to be watching him. He figures Tsukishima must've finally gotten stressed out again, the business of the weekend would warrant it. He supposes he’s got time, but when he looks back at Tsukishima, he’s turning away and heading to the bar to grab his table’s drinks. Just imagining things , Tadashi guesses. 

—

Ukai’s screaming for food runners, so Tadashi grabs two plates headed for table 4. On his way there, he realizes it’s Yachi and What's His Name’s table. He sets down their entrees and smiles simply. Yachi says thanks as a blush creeps across her cheeks and Tadashi decides to ignore it again. 

On his way back to the host stand, Tsukishima passes him. “Um, Yamaguchi,”

Tadashi turns. Maybe he wasn't imagining things earlier? “Hm?”

Tsukishima pauses for a moment. Then shakes his head. “Sorry, never mind.” he rushes off again in the direction of whatever table he was going to. 

Weird. 

—

It’s toward the end of the night, the kitchen staff left just a little while ago, and the majority of the tables are starting to file out one by one. Tadashi has been up at the host stand fiddling with the tablet, getting a head start on reservations for tomorrow night. His work is cut short when he hears someone in front of him clear their throat. It’s Yachi, and she’s fiddling with something in her hands. Before she can say anything, Tadashi cuts her off, 

“Yachi please, you don’t have to tip me for-”

“Oh!” She cuts in, chuckling nervously. “I actually wanted to give you something different.” She hands him a piece of scrap paper, and on it; a stream of numbers. “You can think of this as your tip this time?” 

He had to give it to the girl, she’d certainly become more confident in herself in the past week or so. Before he can politely decline her, she's giggling as she leaves with Kageyama, who looks almost proud of her. 

He’s looking at the number in awe, debating what he should even do with the thing, when Tsukishima’s voice interrupts his thoughts. 

“Yamaguchi.” 

Tadashi looks up. From his seated position, Tsukishima is towering over him. 

Tsukishima looks around, before leaning over the stand and speaking to Tadashi in a low voice. “Was your night alright?” 

Tadashi thinks for a moment. “Actually, yeah. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, I mean with Hinata gone and all.” 

“Hm,” Tsukishima makes a sound of agreement, then pauses for a while, like he’s waiting for Tadashi to continue. It’s weird, but Tadashi decides he’ll oblige. 

“It’s kind of annoying when I need to help run food though.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Uh, yeah…” 

Tsukishima was being weird, to say the least. Like he was searching Tadashi’s expression for something. He seems to be having some internal battle with himself before he grabs Tadashi’s wrist and practically drags him to the kitchen. “I’ll help you with that then.” 

So that's what this was about. Tadashi supposes Tsukishima never really initiated, as never before had he acted like he needed to be the one to get off. This kind of behavior was honestly kind of cute coming from someone like Tsukishima, and so Tadashi follows with no complaint. 

They don’t even make it to the walk-in. With the kitchen staff gone, Tsukishima is pressing Tadashi’s backside to the first countertop he sees. Tadashi doesn't have time to think about how unhygienic this has to be when his thoughts are cut short. Tsukishima is rubbing his crotch up against Tadashi’s, the host losing his breath with every roll of Tsukishima’s hips. There was something different here. Tsukishima was usually quite doting. Yet right now there was some strange, new look in his eyes. Was it anger? Frustration? 

Tadashi’s thoughts are cut completely short a second time when Tsukishima slots his fingers through the hair on Tadashi’s nape and crashes their lips together. It’s all teeth and tongue, Tsukishima slotting his into Tadashi’s mouth right away, wet and forceful. He’s kissing him hard. If anything, it felt possessive. Tadashi lets out a small squeak when Tsukishima rolls his hips again, and Tsukishima groans into his mouth. 

Now this was completely new. They had never kissed before, some unspoken agreement that it was too intimate to include in whatever they got up to. You kissed someone you cared about, someone you saw in a romantic light. You certainly did not kiss your walk-in refrigerator quickie partner. 

Tadashi broke the kiss, “Tsukki, wait-” 

Tsukishima was absolutely breathless, a frantic look in his eyes when they met Tadashi’s. Looking back at Tadashi, he must've realized just then what he was doing, as his eyes widen, and he takes a step back. 

“Shit, Yamaguchi I-” He cuts himself off, looking away and pressing the back of his hand to his mouth. His face is turning red, and he looks as if he’s just been found out of something. 

It hits Tadashi then. Nothing was ever mutual between the two of them. Was Tadashi just leading Tsukishima on this entire time? Should Tadashi of known something? Perhaps all the sweet talking from Tsukishima every time they were together should have warranted some sort of clue. 

Tadashi takes a breath. “Tsukishima I, uh,” He struggles to find the right words.”I don’t really think we’re on the same page about this anymore.” 

Tsukishima clears his throat. He won’t look at Tadashi. He takes a long pause before speaking. “Yeah…” He takes another pause, like he’s trying to say something else. Instead, he just states a simple. “Sorry, Yamaguchi.” As he leaves the kitchen. 

It’s a similar feeling of being left alone in the walk-in after the first time. Tsukishima is still miraculously able to pull himself back together at the drop of a hat, and Yamaguchi is still left with a familiar, ‘what the fuck’, feeling. Although there's no added relief from it all. If anything, Tadashi feels like this is going to add about a thousand new problems into the mix. Tadashi makes the educated guess that Tsukishima probably won't be there anymore to help him resolve these problems.

Chapter Text

For once in the few months he’s been working at The Black Crow, the week has been painfully slow. Slow enough to the point that the hours drag by at such a sluggish pace, the kind of pace where Tadashi swears it's been thirty minutes, only to look back up at the clock to notice that it’s been five. Slow enough that they've only needed one or two servers on, not the usual four. Tsukishima and Sugawara are both on tonight and well, that's Tadashi’s exact problem. 

Hinata and Kiyoko were both on for the night before and the one before that. It was still slow, but they made up for it, gossiping at the bar with Daichi, gossiping while rolling silverware, chatting and gossiping at the host stand. It was honestly a nice break from all the recent commotion. Weirdo guy comes in at some point to sit at the bar, Hinata still chats with him the entire night despite not even being his server. At some point it’s all of them chatting together—Tadashi, Kiyoko, Daichi, Hinata, and as Tadashi now knows his name as: Kageyama, not just Weirdo Guy. He’s actually kind of funny when they get chatting, the kind of funny where he’s clearly not even trying, but still makes every person around him die of laughter. Tanaka comes in at some point as well, later into the night to pick up Kiyoko. He also winds up getting in on the conversation, and before they know it, it’s 1 am, and they're all feeling buzzed from the steady stream of alcohol Dachi had been pouring them. Tadashi wishes they all had the time for this more often. It would be even better if everyone else were here, Sugawara and-

Ah yes , the current problem at hand. 

Tadashi knows on any other occasion, Tsukishima would be the perfect addition to a night like this. He always had an endless trove of fresh gossip to dish out, and conversations like this were right up his alley. Only problem is, they haven't spoken in a week, not since the kitchen make-out debacle. 

Tonight was no different. Another slow night, Sugawara is spending the entirety of it taking turns lingering around Daichi at the bar and Tadashi at the host stand. Right now he’s going on about a recent reality television episode to Tadashi. He’s trying to listen to Sugawara, really trying, but he can’t stop worrying about Tsukishima, hasn't stopped worrying this entire week. Tadashi feels like he hasn't even really seen the man at all. It seemed like the moment he came into work he would clock in, then vanish into the kitchen or breakroom until either he was needed or his shift ended. 

Tadashi doesn't care about the hook-ups. If that stopped forever because that's what Tsukishima wanted, then Tadashi was perfectly fine with that. But the radio silence on Tsukishima’s part was driving Tadashi crazy. He knew this was more than just a decision to put things to an end, knew because Tsukishima had all of confirmed it in the kitchen that night. A million more questions and worries are running rampant in Tadashi’s head, Sugawara’s current ramblings nothing more than a steady stream of background noise at this point. 

Sugawara-

That’s right. To Tadashi’s displeasure, Sugawara was the only person here who knew about him and Tsukishima. Whether Tadashi was exactly happy about it or not, he was the entire reason nobody had walked in on the two of them at all. He disregards any and all self-respect he may have had for himself when he interrupts,

“Uh, Sugawara,”

Sugawara stops whatever tirade he is on to stare at Tadashi blankly, then chuckles. “Yep, I knew you weren't listening.” 

Tadashi sputters, “W-what, no I was just,”

Sugawara laughs, and Tadashi sighs. 

“Ok, but I’ve just got a lot on my mind, and I wanted to ask,”

“Is it about Tsukishima?”

Tadashi’s heart drops to his stomach, and it's now Sugawara’s turn to sigh. 

“You totally broke him, by the way. I don’t know what you did, but if you're wondering if I’ve noticed him acting weird, I have. All of us have.”

Sugawara’s tone isn't accusatory, actually. Just a matter of fact. It doesn't keep Tadashi from feeling any less guilty. 

Tadashi runs a hand down his face, which he can feel growing hotter by the second. “That’s just the thing, I have no clue what I did.” He has an idea, at least, but he isn't exactly sure how much more information he's willing to dish out so freely. 

Sugawara sighs. “You could, I don’t know, maybe tell him your feelings for him instead of just dragging these hook-ups on and on?”

“My, w-wait, my-” Tadashi sputters. “Feelings?” He chuckles bitterly. “Ok, I do not have feeling s for Tsukishima.” 

Sugawara looks Tadashi up and down and speaks sarcastically. “Could have fooled me.” 

“N-no! It’s just,” He groans again. “That's kind of the reason he’s acting weird now, I guess.” 

Sugawara raises an eyebrow, an expression of Do go on. 

“It’s just, last week…” He honestly cannot believe he’s telling Sugawara about this, but he’s really the only person who knows about Tsukishima and him, and Tadashi thinks if he doesn't talk about this soon the weight of it will probably crush him alive. “He kissed me.”

“You two weren’t kissing already?”

“No! No, none of that. We only ever, um-” He can feel his cheeks burning now. “You know!” Sugawara clearly knows what, so Tadashi continues on. “He kissed me, and I would be a liar to say that I didn't like it. But people who like each other kiss each other. Not people who do, well,” Tadashi wants to crawl into a hole and never come out. “What we do!” 

“You liked it when he kissed you?” Sugawara raises an eyebrow. 

“Well I mean, yeah! Of course I did. It’s Tsukishima, he’s like, amazing at everything he does.” For some reason, Tadashi feels himself growing frustrated. “It used to piss me off, you know? How he makes so much in tips when he’s like, the biggest jerk I’ve ever met? But then, I watched him talk with the guests, take their orders and serve them their food and stuff. He looked so charming, and that pissed me off even more , because it’s so obviously an act.” He scoffs. “But then, when it was just the two of us, he was so sweet to me. And it kind of hit me like, wow , he’s actually a pretty caring guy when he chooses to be. And, it made me feel kind of special, because it’s like, of all people and he chose to be caring to me .” Tadashi can’t stop himself from speaking at this point. It’s like he’s a pot boiling over. He’s not even paying any mind to Sugawara’s presence anymore. “So then, since he was all of those things to me, I kind of felt the need to be that way back, right? But that’s just the thing, because when I got to be that way with him, it made me feel so happy to be able to help him out, and he got so flustered and cute, and I thought, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to see him like this all the time. And then he kissed me, and now that I think about it, I would have kept on kissing him, but that’s just the thing. I can’t give him the wrong idea. Because I don’t-” Tadashi finally stops rambling after what may have felt like an eternity. Because for some reason, while all the other words flowed out of him as easily as could be, he can’t get himself to say this last part. Because he knows, Sugawara knows, hell, according to Sugawara the entire restaurant knows, it just wouldn't be true. Tadashi wants to vomit. 

Sugawara shakes his head. “You are so screwed.” 

“Shit I-” Tadashi feels frantic. How was he just now figuring this all out? “I ruined everything didn't I?” Tadashi puts his head in his hands. 

Sugawara puts his hand on Tadashi’s shoulder. “No, Yamaguchi it’s,” He pauses for a second. “Ok well, you definitely screwed up.” 

Tadashi whines, head still buried in his palms. 

“But you can still fix things!” It didn't help that Sugawara’s tone sounded of fake reassurance, almost like he was trying to reassure himself. He looks around the restaurant for a moment and perks up, almost like he has an idea. Tadashi lifts his head, and Sugawara nods toward the bar. “I think I know where you might want to start.” There’s no one here tonight, except a family of four at a corner booth that Tsukishima had been tending to in between avoiding Tadashi, a couple at one end of the bar, and Yachi at the other end. She had usually come in with Kageyama, but he only ever came when Hinata was working, so she started coming in on her own now as well. It was pretty obvious to everyone at the restaurant that she had something for Tadashi, something that he had politely ignored time and time again. It was obvious Sugawara was motioning toward her. 

“Yachi? What's she gonna do?”

“More like what are you going to do?” 

Tadashi was drawing a blank. Sugawara must see this because he makes an annoyed sound, before explaining. 

“She obviously likes you, Yamaguchi. And judging from his recent behavior, Tsukishima seems pretty jealous.” 

Tadashi thinks he’s getting it now, though he didn't think someone like Sugawara would come up with a plan as brash as this. “So you want me to like, fake date the girl in order to make Tsukishima jealous?” 

Sugawara makes even more of an annoyed sound, slapping his palm across his forehead for good measure. Tadashi thinks he hears him mumble something along the lines of helpless , before speaking. “No, Yamaguchi!” He clicks his tongue, and continues on. “You don’t like her back, do you? Or, oh I’m sorry, have you not come to terms with that one yet either?” 

Rude. 

“You have to turn her down! Even better if Tsukishima sees you do it.”

Turn her down? Why didn't Tadashi think of that? Oh right-

“I don’t know, I don’t want to hurt her feelings,” 

Sugawara kept speaking, poignantly ignoring Tadashi. 

“And, I would say the far more obvious part to this entire ordeal: Maybe, oh I don’t know , actually speak to Tsukishima?” 

Suddenly, the entire Yachi rejection plan didn't seem too difficult. 

Tadashi covers his face with his palms once more, resting his elbows on the host stand, and whines. “How am I supposed to talk to him after everything?” He sighs loudly. “I should have known how he felt toward me, I think I did at one point but just decided to ignore it.” He looks up at Sugawara. “I'm such a jerk Suga.” Sugawara almost looks sympathetic for once as Tadashi moves to hide his face in his hands once again. He feels Sugawara’s hand on his shoulder. 

“Gosh Tadashi, you’re not a jerk alright.”

Tadashi perks up. “Really?”

“No, jeez, you're just a little clueless is all.” 

Tadashi shoves Sugawara lightly and he chuckles. 

“But honestly, I really think talking it out is a good idea. I mean, Tsukishima likes you for a reason, you know.” 

Tadashi feels bashful for some reason. 

“He’s as much an idiot as you if he doesn't at least try to hear you out.” 

Tadashi takes a breath. As brash as Sugawara might have been with him, it really was helpful talking everything out. “Thanks Suga. You know, I didn’t really see it at first, but someone like Daichi is lucky to have you around.” 

“Hey, thanks and- wait, who told you about that?!” Sugawara looks mortified. 

Tadashi now puts his hand on Sugawara’s shoulder and smiles. “Let's just call each other even now, kay?”

—

Tadashi has been hyping himself up for this exact moment all night. It’s been hours of constant mental struggle, and from seemingly ages of worry, it's got his stomach in a knot that has left him feeling ill. He’s thought about bailing over a hundred times by now, and at the point he’s finally about to do it, the back door of the restaurant to the parking lot is finally creaking open and Tadashi is brought back to his senses, aware that the nighttime air had actually grown quite chilly during the time he’d been waiting out here. 

Tsukishima looks good in his jacket, and Tadashi silently curses the man for making this whole ordeal just that much harder. He’s looking down at his cellphone, not paying his surroundings any mind, so he startles slightly when Tadashi clears his throat. When he looks up, it’s the same deadpan expression that he always wears, but there's something behind it. Something of anger, no, fear. 

“Uh-” Tsukishima seems to be quite speechless.

Tadashi seizes the opportunity, takes a shaky breath, and begins the speech he’s rehearsed in his head a hundred times over at this point. “Um, Tsukishima. Listen, I know that you have been avoiding me, that you probably really don’t want to talk about this right now. I know it probably feels like I'm ambushing you out here right now, but well-”  

“It’s ok, you don’t have to apologize for anything.” Tsukishima keeps walking, and Tadashi wants to scream at him for already messing up his plans. He more or less does. 

“Tsukishima! God, no, just wait for a second, ok?” 

Tadashi feels like a crazy person, but miraculously, Tsukishima stops. 

Tadashi takes an even shakier breath than before and starts again. “First of all, I should be the one apologizing to you.” He’s looking down at his feet instead of at Tsukishima. “I led you on, and I’m sorry. We should have communicated better before we started doing, well,” He wrings his hands together, embarrassed. “All of that! ” He sighs. “Tsukishima I- '' He puts the next part as delicately as he can, which really isn't very delicate at all. “I know you like me and-”

Tsukishima scoffs, and Tadashi finally looks up. He looks angry, hurt. “Don’t patronize me, Yamaguchi.” Tadashi has never heard such emotion from the blond. His voice sounds on the verge of breaking. “Is this some kind of joke?” 

“What? No, Tsukki I-”

“Don’t call me that.”

Tadashi is surprised the nickname even left his mouth in a moment like this.

“I get it, I’ve embarrassed myself by maybe thinking a fucking quickie could have meant something more, I’m so full of myself aren't I?” 

“No! It’s-”

Some kind of anger fully takes over Tsukishima now. Tadashi hadn't seen anything like it. Yet if anything, the anger is hardly directed at Tadashi at all. It’s directed at himself. 

“I wanted to see something that didn't exist. I made up all of these scenarios in my head,”

“Tsukishima, please I-”

“I went and got jealous over something that's not even my business. And I humiliated myself all because of something I-”

“Tsukki-”

“Don’t call me-”

Whatever rage was overtaking Tsukishima prior now transferred itself to Tadashi. Tadashi had rehearsed this speech god dammit, and Tsukishima was not going to mess that up for him.

“God, Tsukishima, just listen to me!” If Tsukishima tried to interrupt Tadashi for the umpteenth time, Tadashi did not know, as he kept speaking. “Just take the damn apology you- you prideful asshole!” Well, there went all of his rehearsals. “If you let me finish, you would have known that,” He guesses now's a better time than ever.

“I like you too!” 

He’s looking back down at his feet again, too scared to look at whatever Tsukishima’s expression must look like now. 

“Which is really annoying by the way. You're a very hard person to like, you know that?” Definitely not part of his speech. “Why’d you have to go and do all that anyway? The sudden want to help me with everything, the sweet-talking during possibly the most morally incorrect moments of my entire life? The way you stood up for me, how you talked to me and praised me. And then after all that? You just avoid me? Shit Tsukki, I know I screwed up and everything but,” He feels an all too familiar feeling settling itself in the back of his throat, a stinging behind his eyes that he told himself over and over again he would not allow right now. “It drove me crazy. You drive me crazy.” Tadashi was sniffling. He definitely could not look up now. 

There's a beat of silence that only amplifies the embarrassment clouding around Tadashi, then a shuffle of feet toward him, and a light hand on his shoulder. He hears Tsukishima exhale, slowly. It seems like he’s taking a moment to think, before acting. 

Lightly, Tsukishima’s fingers lift Tadashi’s chin. His vision is a bit blurry from crying, but Tadashi can tell that Tsukishima is searching his expression for something. Then,

The bastard starts laughing. 

Tadashi huffs and shoves Tsukishima. Tsukishima keeps laughing that annoying laugh, the one that radiates all energy of I’m better than you, all while his hand still remains in its same position underneath Tadashi's chin. Truly, it was annoying to like a man such as Tsukishima Kei. 

“Asshole, I’m sharing my feelings here.” 

“I’m sorry,” He keeps cackling. “But you should have seen your face when I lifted it.”

Tadashi pouts. “Jeez, I’m an ugly crier, I get it.” 

“No, no,” Tsukishima finishes up his laughter, breathing out. “It's cute.” He swipes a tear off of Tadashi’s cheek with his thumb. Tadashi tries to continue pouting, really tries, but he thinks he feels his face heat up with blush instead. 

“I’m sorry I made you feel that way.” Despite his apology, the small smile playing across Tsukishima’s lips didn't look very sorry at all. 

Tadashi plays with the front of Tsukishima’s jacket. “We’re idiots, aren't we?”

Tsukishima raises an eyebrow. “Who’s we?” 

Tadashi throws his head back and groans, and Tsukishima laughs again. Only this time, it’s a type of laugh he hasn't heard from him before. It’s quiet and easy, something just for Tadashi. 

When they kiss, it’s simple, and Tadashi wonders why he had spent the last few days overthinking this so much. Tsukishima exhales a puff of breath through his nose, moves his hand from Tadashi’s cheek to the back of his neck, and tugs lightly at the long strands of hair at his nape. It isn't rushed like before and feels natural to kiss Tsukishima back, like they'd already done it a thousand times over. Tadashi loses himself for a small moment, allowing his tongue to swipe across Tsukishima’s lip. The kiss threatens to deepen even further until Tadashi remembers what he just did everything for. 

Tadashi breaks the kiss, and notices the slight moment of frustration from Tsukishima before reassuring him with a tug on his jacket front. He makes sure to look at Tsukishima this time before speaking. 

“Wait, Tsukki. I just, I wanna do it right this time.” 

Tsukishima cocks his head slightly. “Oh, I mean, I still have a key to the kitchen entrance if you want to-”

Tadashi chuckles. “No, not that. What I mean is,” Does he have to spell it out for him? From the blank expression on Tsukishima's face, Tadashi guesses he does. He smiles and rests his forehead on Tsukishima’s shoulder. “God, just take me out on a date already, would you?” 

He doesn't see his face, but he feels Tsukishima flinch slightly, and can swear he can also feel a bit of heat coming from his cheeks. Getting Tsukishima flustered like this had Tadashi giddy.

Tsukishima exhales. “Yeah, I know a nice restaurant where-”

Tadashi flings his head up to look Tsukishima in the eye, cutting him off right there. “Anywhere but a restaurant.”

Tsukishima exhales a small laugh. “Yeah, ok.” 

—

Perhaps going to someone's apartment for a first date might seem a bit bold to someone else, but their relationship didn't exactly scream timid from the start of it, so when Tsukishima invited Tadashi to his for dinner instead of a restaurant, Tadashi happily obliged. 

His apartment was a quaint one, in the heart of town above a small bookstore and with a glimpse of the coast from afar. When Tsukishima lets him in, his place is obscenely organized and clean, and just screams Tsukishima. 

“Any roommates I have to worry about?” Tadashi plops his coat down on the edge of the sofa. 

“Please, you think I would want to deal with someone else's mess?” Tsukishima clanks around in the kitchen a bit, the smell of whatever’s cooking smelling absolutely mouth-watering. “It’s just me.” 

Definitely Tsukishima. 

Tsukishima tells Tadashi that the food is going to be a little longer and to make himself at home, so Tadashi allows himself to. He snoops a bit through his movie collection, further backing Tadashi’s slight assumption that Tsukishima was definitely the nerdy type as he shuffles through the entire collection of both Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. There's a row of potted plants seated on the window sill. Something about their pristine condition and the clear amount of attention they all had been given makes Tadashi’s heartbeat pang in his chest just a bit. 

When Tsukishima finally calls Tadashi over for dinner, it’s clear Tsukishima has put an amount of effort into the table setting. This simple act makes Tadashi’s chest constrict all that much more. After taking his first bite of food, Tadashi thinks his heart may just up and explode at this point. 

“Tsukishima this is…” He takes another bite and falls into bliss. He jokes. “They ought to have you in the kitchen instead.” 

Tsukishima takes a bite of his own food, finishes chewing, and shrugs. “At my old job, well I actually did used to work in the kitchen at another restaurant.”  

“What?” Tadashi is surprised, to say the least. “What changed?” 

“Well I mean, Chefs shouting orders and bossing me around isn't exactly something I took very lightly to.”

“Ah.” Tsukishima didn't even have to say it. Tadashi could already see the arguments an easily aggravated Tsukishima would have been having in a kitchen line. He couldn't even imagine how he would fare against Ukai. 

Tsukishima clears his throat. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, where were you working before The Black Crow?” 

“Haha…” Tadashi chuckles nervously and scratches the back of his neck. “I actually used to work an office job at a publishing company.” 

“Oh?” 

Tadashi hated telling people this, about his big downgrade, his quarter-life crisis where he up and moved everything around in his life just to wind up at an even shitter, far less paying job. Explaining himself was the even more humiliating part, but he figures if he can tell anyone, he can tell Tsukishima about it. 

“I hated it there, felt like I was wasting away, wasting all my time.” He sighs. “I’ve always loved writing. I started working at a publishing company thinking it could give me some kind of head start in getting my own stuff published or something. But it just took away all the time I needed to set aside for actual writing.” Tadashi feels like he’s spoken too much already, but looking at Tsukishima, he looks expectant, like he's waiting for Tadashi to finish. Tadashi supposes he may as well. “I thought I’d move away, somewhere quiet where I can just hide away and write. But we all need money at some point or another, so when I more or less ran out, here I wound up.” 

Tadashi looks back at Tsukishima. He’s just staring at him lazily, chin resting in his palm as he blinks slowly, and Tadashi thinks he would rather be dead than at the scrutiny of whatever Tsukishima was about to tell him. 

After a long pause, Tsukishima speaks. “You know,” He sits up and crosses his arms. “I wanted to be a professional volleyball player at one point.” 

“Oh, really?” Tadashi could see it. Tsukishima was tall, unfairly so, and it seemed like he probably would have been able to block any spiked volleyballs with the simple lift of his hand above his head.

Tsukishima nods. “My team went really far in high school. I was a starter by my first year, and I became really competitive.” He looks down, in thought. “Applying to colleges came around, and I thought about playing for one. A lot of people told me I could probably go pro, and I thought about that too. But,” He sighs. “I don’t know, it just seemed so, impossible. Not that I couldn't do it if I tried. But like that wasn't the way my life was supposed to go.” He crosses his legs one way, then crosses them again the other. If Tadashi didn't know Tsukishima as well as he’d come to know him recently, he wouldn't think anything of this conversation, but Tadashi can tell it's hard for Tsukishima to talk about this. 

“Me, a professional athlete . I felt so ordinary, and I thought ordinary people like me only daydream about that kind of stuff. So when I went to college, I dropped volleyball, told myself it was just some high school hobby and it was time for me to grow up.” He chuckles, but Tadashi can see there isn't exactly much humor behind it. “And well, look where I wound up.” 

Tadashi doesn't really know what to say, if he should laugh or comfort. He realizes he’s been silent for too long when Tsukishima speaks up again. 

“I think what you did was really admirable.” 

A weird shock runs through Tadashi upon hearing those words about his own situation. He laughs, a bit bitterly if anything. “Yeah, right.” 

“I’m serious.” Tadashi thinks he can tell that Tsukishima actually is. “Maybe I could have been better off now if I kept playing volleyball. Maybe, things could have gotten worse.” The look he’s giving Tadashi makes things feel maybe the most personal they have ever felt between the both of them. “But it still kills me that I never tried at it.” 

Tadashi looks at Tsukishima, looks at the sincerity of his expression, and plays over the words he just spoke in his head again and again. And he really doesn't know what to do with himself. Doesn't think he’s ever met someone who puts things into perspective the way Tsukishima does. He curses his face for getting hot without his permission like it so often does, and can’t do anything other than cover his eyes with his hand and sigh. 

“Jeez Tsukishima. I- I think,” He tilts his head upward and huffs. “I think I really needed to hear that.” Tadashi is looking up at the ceiling, wondering after all that has happened between them, how he even deserves to have someone like Tsukihsima right now.

“Also, well,” Tsukishima pauses, like he knows he probably shouldn't say what he was going to say next, yet says it anyway. “I wouldn't have met you, so…”

Tadashi whines. “Ok, don’t ruin this moment of self-reflection with your corniness.” 

Tadashi is still looking up at the ceiling and can’t see Tsukishima, but thinks he hears him breathe a small laugh. “It’s true though.” 

Tadashi bickers and complains a bit more with Tsukishima, until their conversation turns back into more simple question and answer. They haven't really talked about personal stuff since they've known one another, and it felt nice talking to someone like this. Tadashi realizes he probably has a lot more in common with Tsukishima than he thought he did. Their inclination to shit-talk about other people who had nothing to do with them was probably a less admirable shared interest, but Tadashi takes it as a win when a certain comment about a prior coworker has Tadashi doubling over in both laughter and agreement. Time passes far quicker than it ever had, and Tadashi soon realizes it’s getting dark. 

He can’t lie to himself, he'd probably stay here all night if he could. It’s not like either of them were exactly unfamiliar with the notion of each other’s bodies, per se, yet Tadashi would even benefit from just the company sans any sexual activity. While the slow unbuttoning of Tsukishima's shirt collar throughout the night, every hour a new button somehow casually wound up undone giving Tadashi a gradual reveal of more and more of Tsukishima's clavicle was distracting , to say the least. Not to mention the faint glow of his cheeks which had come to both of them after one or two glasses of wine. For once between them, Tadashi can’t think of any way to initiate anything, so he decides on politeness instead. 

It’s a more than awkward goodbye at Tsukishima’s front doorway. Somehow all the easiness had more or less evaporated between the two of them once Tadashi had mentioned the time, mentioned how he should get heading home. 

“Um, thanks. For the dinner, I mean.” Tadashi is shifting restlessly on his feet. “It was lovely.” He smiles, yet it feels odd. “And I enjoyed our conversation.” Why had everything suddenly turned so formal? 

“Sure, we should do it again sometime,” Tsukishima stated, so matter of factly, that something about it had felt like they had just attended a business meeting, not a date. 

“Well,” Tadashi motions towards the door. “I’ll get going now.” 

“Alright…” Tsukishima pauses for a bit. He pinches the bridge of his nose and scoffs. 

Tadashi startles for a moment. Had he done something wrong? 

Then, Tsukishima looks at Tadashi, cocks his head, and chuckles slightly. “We’re really kidding ourselves with this whole polite thing, aren't we?” 

Tadashi stills, a bit confused if anything. “Uh-” 

“You wanted to stay, didn’t you?” 

Shit, he was caught. Tadashi hopes Tsukishima can’t see the blush on his cheeks that he can feel forming in a matter of moments. 

Tsukishima just smiles, and something about the look of it sends a wild jolt through Tadashi. 

“It’s ok,” He lowers his voice, and takes Tadashi’s hand, twining their fingers together as he lazily pulls him closer. He traces his other hand down Tadashi’s spine, making him shiver, puts his mouth next to the host's ear, and speaks softly. “I want you to.” He kisses where his mouth had just been, so close to Tadashi’s ear, and from that moment it was over. 

The two of them fall easily onto the couch, losing themselves in kisses as Tadashi takes the initiative to straddle Tsukishima who complies easily as the other kisses down his neck, finally unbuttoning that annoying shirt to Tadashi’s preferred position, which was all the way, of course.  

“You ass,” Tadashi takes pride in feeling Tsukishima twitch under him as he sucks and nips at the smooth skin around his navel. “Trying to distract me with this stupid shirt collar.” He moves his mouth back up to Tsukishima’s chest, not before he sees Tsukishima all but smirk , more or less proving his words true. For this, he thumbs at one of his nipples and laps at the other, turning the blond’s smirk into an expression of pleasure. 

Tsukishima has to try quite hard to pry Tadashi’s mouth away from his chest so he can put his mouth back on his again. He slips a hand under Tadashi’s shirt, tracing his long fingers up Tadashi’s abdomen making him practically writhe above him. Tadashi has to will himself to not moan into Tsukishima’s mouth as he thumbs at one of Tadashi’s nipples whilst tracing his tongue along the roof of his mouth. 

Tadashi pulls away from Tsukishima and takes it upon himself to remove the waiter's shirt all the way. Tsukishima complies, sitting up and allowing Tadashi to pull it from his arms. Throwing it to the floor, Tadashi can now fully see how Tsukishima was once on the track to becoming a professional athlete. Tadashi moves a hand up and over his toned abdomen, ogling at the man currently underneath him.  “Fuck Tsukki,” He breathes out. 

Tsukishima turns his head to the side, clearly embarrassed. Yet as Tadashi presses his hips down on Tsukishima’s, he can feel the blond growing hard underneath him. 

Tadashi is done tip-toeing around the subject. He speaks with zero innuendo, zero politeness or poise. 

“Bedroom. Now.” 

—

Tsukishima had made good use of all that muscle, easily lifting Tadashi up and bringing him to his bed, where it was Tadashi who now lay underneath the man.

All of their time together, all of their walk-in fridge debauchery and otherwise, had seemed to be the most erotic moments of Tadashi’s life. Yet all of that time spent seemed like nothing at this moment.  

In a single instant both Tadashi’s pants and boxers are wriggled free from, now lying discarded in some random corner of Tsukishima’s bedroom where they had unceremoniously been thrown into. Tsukishima keeps eye contact with Tadashi from his place in between the host’s legs and keeps eye contact as he kisses and licks at the base of Tadashi’s cock. The intensity of Tsukishima’s gaze is enough to get Tadashi off, his normally honey-colored eyes turning darker, an almost whisky color.  

Hungrily Tsukishima licks up the base, encircles his tongue around the tip, and slips all the way down Tadashi’s length in one greedy motion. Tadashi unwillingly allows a moan to slip past his lips as Tsukishima begins to suck. He looks down at Tsukishima again, who has kept his gaze locked on Tadashi throughout the entire endeavor. While one of his hands now circles around the base of Tadashi’s cock, Tadashi notices his other trails down to his own length, palming at himself through his jeans. Tsukishima moans slightly, and the vibrations from it, the look of Tsukishima getting himself off at Tadashi’s pleasure, all quickly comes to be too much. 

“ Ah,” Tadashi is breathless. “ Shit, Tsukki,” He moves his hand down into cropped blond hair, pulling at the strands. “ Please, it’s,” Another suck, another unceremonious moan from Tsukishima, and he’s having to use everything in his power to not come already. It comes out as more or less of a yelp when he begs, “ Tsukki, need you now, please.” 

A few more tugs of Tsukishima’s hair, and the blond is, unwillingly if anything, pulling his mouth from Tadashi. 

Tadashi is panting at this point, his cock still achingly hard, and Tsukishima has the nerve to lift Tadashi’s shirt up above his sternum to thumb at Tadashi’s chest. He plants kisses to Tadashi’s cheeks, across the freckles along the bridge of his nose, to the corner of his mouth. Tadashi squirms beneath him as he grinds down on Tadashi’s painfully hard cock. 

Tadashi whines. “Stop teasing.” 

Tsukishima hums. “So sensitive, Tadashi.” 

Tadashi locks his arms around Tsukishima’s neck, arching his back to grind back up on Tsukishima’s hard cock through his jeans. He shuts his eyes tightly and moans a small curse. Tadashi brings their foreheads together. “Please, I want you so bad.”

Tsukishima exhales, shakily. It’s apparently enough to get him to stop teasing as he rolls off of Tadashi to fumble around in his bedside drawer, pulling out a small bottle and a pack of condoms, which Tadashi lightly bats away. 

“It’s ok, I-” He pulls Tsukishima’s face back to his own. “Wanna feel you, Tsukki.” He kisses Tsukishima deeply, feeling a small exhale through the other man’s nose. When he pulls back, he thinks he feels his heart melt looking at Tsukishima, whose expression had never looked sweeter than it does now. A small furrow of his brow as he asks; 

“Are-” He cups Tadashi’s cheek and swallows. “Are you-”

Tadashi nods. “It’s ok, I haven't done it with anyone else in a while, I’m-”

Tsukishima nods, also. “Yeah. Me too.” 

When Tsukishima takes his time gazing at Tadashi, brushing the brunette's bangs from his forehead so he can kiss there, then kiss his lips, Tadashi realizes it’s been ages since he’s truly felt this close to anyone. Tadashi could stay like this forever, lazy kisses and light touches, until he realizes what he even stayed here to do in the first place as Tsukishima pulls away, uncapping the bottle and coating his fingers all in one swift motion. 

Tadashi bites his lip, the sight before him certainly not an unwelcome one. Tsukishima’s long fingers are currently allowing wild thoughts to enter Tadashi’s mind, and maybe Tsukishima can see that as he leans back down to Tadashi, smiling mischievously. He allows one hand to continue fiddling with Tadashi’s hair. The other goes down, tracing around the rim of Tadashi’s hole. 

Tadashi flinches, exhaling shakily as he pulls Tsukishima closer. He wiggles his hips, whining. “Hurry up, please .”

Tsukishima nips and licks at Tadashi’s ear, as he speaks slowly. “So impatient.” Yet he complies, and allows one of his fingers to enter Tadashi. 

Tadashi tenses, shutting his eyes as he holds Tsukishima tighter. 

“Is this ok?” Tsukishima asks. 

“Shit I-” 

Tsukishima begins to move his finger slightly, and Tadashi flinches. 

“ Yes, god, just keep going. I’m not fragile, Tsukishima.” 

Tsukishima hums, kisses Tadashi as he moves his finger quicker, pulls in and out of Tadashi until he’s begging for more, and Tsukishima is adding another. 

Tadashi is lost completely now, the obscene sounds he’s making are ones that he didn't even know he could produce. He’s grabbing fist fulls of bedsheet, and his eyes are shut closed, yet he can still feel Tsukishima’s gaze on him as he pulls back, still allowing for his fingers to move. 

“You're so pretty like this, Tadashi.”

Tadashi can’t take it anymore, feels like he’s been waiting for it for ages now. 

“Tsukki I’m-” 

Tsukishima’s fingers curl, and Tadashi gasps. 

“ Please, I’m- I’m ready now.” 

He pulls his fingers from Tadashi, the emptiness only making Tadashi fein for Tsukishima even more. Tadashi gathers himself for a moment and props himself up with his elbows behind him so he can look at Tsukishima. Assuringly enough, he looks just about as impatient as Tadashi feels, wildly kicking off his jeans and boxers.  

Squeezing more lube out onto his palm, Tadashi has to physically stop himself from drooling as he watches Tsukishima slick up his own hard cock. He lulls his head back and allows for a small little moan to escape his mouth as he strokes himself, and the sound of it goes right to Tadashi’s dick. When he gazes back down to Tadashi, his expression is hungry, and Tadashi thinks he’s willing to give Tsukishima anything at this moment.   

Tsukishima nimbly crawls back overtop of Tadashi and kisses him passionately as he grabs at Tadashi’s hips. His grip is light, but the power that Tadashi knows to be hidden in those hands only turns him on more. He wants Tsukishima to be rough, make his grip bruising, and- 

Tadashi inhales as he feels the tip of Tsukishima’s cock at his entrance. He’s not even inside him yet, and the simple thought of it is making Tadashi tremble. Tsukishima pushes in slowly, still kissing Tadashi, though more deeply, more calculated. Tadashi wraps his arms around Tsukishima’s shoulders, impatiently pushing his hips up to allow Tsukishima to fill him all the way. They both gasp slightly, and Tsukishima asks him, 

“Tadashi,” His voice is low, sweet yet, there is something underneath his tone, a wildness that Tadashi feels the exact same right now. “Are you ready-”

Tadashi rolls his hips slightly and Tsukishima makes a small sound in the back of his throat. Tadashi kisses him on the cheek, and that’s clearly enough as Tsukishima begins to move. 

He’s gentle as he starts, calculating and frustratingly slow. The deep press of Tsukishima’s cock as he fills Tadashi all the way before pulling back out right after he grazes Tadashi at the perfect spot, it’s just teasing enough that it makes Tadashi whine. In frustration or pleasure, Tadashi does not know, but he figures it’s both. Tadashi wants to flip Tsukishima over, ride him quickly and hard, just wants to take what he’s been waiting so long for, to let Tsukishima know he’s not made of glass, that he can take it-

Tadashi, whose eyes have been pressed tightly shut, opens them slightly. Peering through his eyelashes, he realizes that Tsukishima wasn't drawing this out in fear of hurting Tadashi, no. The way he’s looking down at him in awe, gazing at Tadashi like he’s studying him-

That bastard, 

He’s not trying to be gentle, he’s trying to draw it out to the point Tadashi can’t take it anymore, until he’s panting and begging and crying and-

“ Tsukki…” Tadashi breathes out, clearly frustrated. “Stop-” Tsukishima draws his cock out slowly again, and Tadashi chokes. “Stop teasing so much, it’s-” He snaps his hips back into the brunette, and Tadashi yelps. 

Tsukishima rubs circles into Tadashi’s hips as he holds them. “I’m not,” He leans in, kissing Tadashi. The way that his tongue swipes over Tadashi’s bottom lip is enough to make his head spin, and the push of his cock at Tadashi’s entrance makes him cry out again. Tsukishima swallows the brunette's moan as he kisses him, and the lazy grin he’s sporting as he pulls away lets Tadashi know he’s being anything but truthful. Though miraculously, he listens. 

The way Tsukishima handles Tadashi is everything he’d hoped for. The way he is so different with Tadashi than everyone else, always so doting whenever it had only been the two of them. And yet right now it’s clear he knows what Tadashi wants, what Tadashi needs as he so clearly trusts the brunette's insistence that he is not fragile. 

Tsukishima’s large hands wrap around Tadashi’s waist as his hips snap back, then forward again, finally with the rhythm that Tadashi had been waiting so long for. His hands hold so much power in them, manhandling Tadashi’s waist with ease as he presses his cock into Tadashi’s entrance over and over again. 

It feels good, and Tadashi holds Tsukishima’s shoulders in a bruising grip, moaning Tsukishima’s name in rhythm to each movement of his body. 

“Tsukki, Tsukki-”

Tsukishima looks good from this position, especially good as rivulets of sweat drip down his body, when he throws his head back and groans. 

“Fuck Tadashi, you feel so good-” 

He brings one of his hands up to Tadashi’s thigh, adjusting the angle he’s holding Tadashi which makes him nearly scream. He does practically scream as Tsukishima then takes his other hand and strokes Tadashi’s neglected cock. 

Tadashi shudders, “ Ah, It’s too much,” His voice is squeaky and raw. “ Shit, I can’t, I’m gonna-” 

Tsukishima tightens his grip on Tadashi's hard length, pumping with the same speed and vigor as he fucked him. 

“It’s ok,” His voice is low, breathy from the way he had been exerting himself. “I want you to come, Tadashi.” 

Tadashi does just that, his release coming at the sound of Tsukishima saying his name and the added overstimulation coming from the blonde at both his front and entrance. Stars prick behind his eyes as he moans Tsukishima’s name. He tightens around the blonde, and that was apparently enough for him as well. 

Tsukishima fills him as his hips stutter, “ Ah- Tadashi,” From the way his voice sounded, the way his sweat slicked hair had him looking the most undone Tadashi had ever thought possible, if he wasn't so spent Tadashi is convinced he could have come from the sight of it alone. 

For a while they simply lay together, their simple silence feeling as intimate as they had felt minutes before. Tadashi’s mind is cloudy, though after a while he realizes Tsukishima is cleaning him off with a towel, taking care to be gentle yet through. 

Tadashi feels so comfortable here as he closes his eyes and begins to drift off. In his hazy state, he can feel a blanket thrown over him, a dip in the mattress next to him, and a kiss on the forehead. 

He wants to squeal when he wakes and realizes he’s in the arms of one Tsukishima Kei.

—

“He hasn't been giving you too much trouble, has he?” 

“Gosh no! Everything has been fine between us, actually.” Yachi reassures, yet her anxious aura that Tadashi had come to an understanding in the past couple of weeks was more or less just the way the girl functioned on a regular basis than anything he may have caused, still makes itself present. “Well, sometimes when I seat him he makes this grumbly angry scary sound which is a little unnerving.” 

Tadashi chuckles. “Yeah, you get used to it. Trust me, it’s not you, it’s him.” 

When Yachi came up to Tadashi a few weeks ago, it was probably the worst possible timing on her end. It was the end of a long night for both Tadashi and Tsukishima, the dinner rush one of the busiest they’d had in ages. Though the fact Tadashi knew he could count on the comfort of a warm bed instead of an industrial ice box as a location of stress relief now already relieved some of his tension. 

Though Tsukishima too enjoyed some of the torment it had been causing Tadashi, teasing him during their work hours with passing glances, less than appropriate comments whenever Tsukishima got a chance to walk past the host stand, promises of what would be happening once the two of them got home. A stolen kiss, rather stolen makeout once Tsukishima realized it was only the two of them in the back kitchen area at one point. Tadashi almost chokes when Hinata comes blazing in through the swinging doors, though Tsukishima pulls away quick enough to warrant any suspicion. The ginger whistles as he taps something into the POS machine, not noticing the death glare Tadashi shoots Tsukishima as the blond bastard shoots a grin back in his direction. 

The night had finally neared its end. Tadashi sat behind the host stand on the tablet, setting up reservations for tomorrow night, as Tsukishima stood at his side, tidying up menus and organizing Tadashi’s stash of pens and stationery. Though the rushed nature of it all told Tadashi that Tsukishima was just about as impatient as he had been letting on.

The last few customers had been clearing out, a reflexive “Thank you! Please come again!” spout in their direction every time Tadashi sees someone exit from the corner of his eye. Yet when one of the customers shoots past his periphery, he notices that the closing door had not yet sounded. Curious, Tadashi looks up and notices that Yachi is standing in front of him.  

“Oh um, hey Yachi, what’s up?” 

Tsukishima stops working at his less than organized office supply organizing to shoot his gaze directly up at the girl standing before them both. 

Tadashi stills, unsure of exactly how whatever exactly had begun was about to go. It had been made somewhat clear to Tadashi that Tsukishima was jealous of Yachi at one point. Though since then, it seemed Tsukishima and Tadashi had made an overwhelming amount of progress with one another and well, Yachi was just a background character in Tadashi’s life, let alone a threat to Tsukishima. So why had the air between them all just grown so tense? 

“Um, hey Yamaguchi!” She smiles. “Uh, how was your night?”

Tadashi decides on politeness with her, as always. Smiling back, he answers. “It was alright.” 

It’s clear from the sour expression on Tsukishima’s face that politeness hasn't exactly been on his mind at all. When Tsukishima clears his throat to speak, well Tadashi doesn't have the best feeling about what is about to come next. 

“Yachi, was it?” Tsukishima is smiling, but everything about it is just utterly creepy. 

Yachi moves her gaze from Tadashi to Tsukishima, clearly a bit startled. “Um, yes.” 

Tsukishima hums, methodically. “I see you talking to Yamaguchi all the time and yet, I haven't gotten the chance to introduce myself to you, have I?” 

“Oh! Uh-”

Tsukishima interrupts. “I’m Tsukishima.” 

“Um-” Yachi is wringing her hands, obviously uncomfortable. Tadashi feels some overprotective need to intervene, yet Tsukishima interrupts both of their thoughts.

“Can I give you some advice, Yachi?” He leans in, and it’s unsettling, to say the least. “If you like someone so much, maybe make a move quickly instead of just puttering around, waiting for something to happen?” Tsukishima is still smiling. 

On the other hand, Yachi is standing in a complete state of shock. “What?” 

Tadashi wants to shout at Tsukishima for being so harsh, yet again, the waiter is speaking before Tadashi can do anything. 

“Well, you like Yamaguchi, right?”

Tadashi coughs. “Tsukki. that’s really enough-”

Yachi turns red. “I’m sorry, I’m not really sure what you mean about-” 

“Yet you waited around too long I’m afraid. You see,” Tsukishima leans closer in Tadashi’s direction. It wasn't anything too noticeable, yet it was still enough for Tadashi to notice. Tadashi wants to slap him. “Yamaguchi’s already taken.” 

Tadashi still wants to slap Tsukishima, really truly does. He’s being an ass, and from the expression on Yachi’s face, he’s obviously gone too far. So it’s quite unfortunate when Tadashi finds that he really truly wants to slap himself when those last few words coming out of Tsukishima’s mouth undeniably turn him on beyond belief. 

He forgets Yachi is even there for a split second before she clears her throat. She squeaks as she talks to the both of them. “So, actually-” She whispers an incoherent mess of words to herself, something about just keeping it to yourself, before seemingly winning some kind of long internal battle and speaking up once again. “See um, maybe a little while ago that would have been true. Um, the whole,” She grits through her teeth as she speaks. “ Liking Yamaguchi thing.” She adamantly looks away as she says that part. 

Tadashi spots Tsukishima move to say something again, but a sharp glance in his direction quickly shuts him up. He motions to Yachi, eyes wide, and expression of just hear her out, would you? 

“But um, I was actually asking about the sign outside?” 

Tadashi pauses a moment. What sign was outside? There was the happy hour sign, the restaurant sign? It’s then that it hits him like a ton of bricks. 

Yachi seems to see Tadashi’s initial struggle in putting two and two together. “The-”

“The help wanted sign!” 

Yachi chuckles awkwardly. “Um, yes that one. It was asking for-”

“Hostesses!” Tadashi interrupts again. 

“Uh, haha…” Yachi looks seriously uncomfortable now. “Yeah, that’s the one.” She still smiles, despite it looking to be a bit of a struggle at this point, bless her, Tadashi will seriously have to chew out Tsukishima in a minute. Yet at this point, Tadashi is preoccupied with the fact that somebody finally wants to apply.

“Shit! Thats- wow, let me just,” Tadashi starts frantically searching the shelves behind the host stand, pulling out a huge basket of who knows what and filing through it at a rapid pace. It had only been him hosting at The Black Crow since the first day he started. Tadashi was willing to get on his knees and beg Yachi to just forget everything she just heard and start here ASAP. After a frantic rummage through scrap papers, sticky notes, and whatever dust particles had collected in the bottom of the bin, he whips out what he had been looking for, flinging the piece of paper right in front of Yachi. 

She gazes down at it. “Oh! Is this um,”

“An application!” Tadashi really needs to stop cutting the poor girl off. “Just fill out here, this information here,” He points to the following boxes and lines, his excitement far too evident in his voice. He can't even find himself to care at this point. “And bring it back whatever day is best for you! Preferably handing it to me, please.” He can feel how scary his smile must look to Yachi right now, can see it in her expression, yet graciously she takes the application anyway. 

“A-alright, sounds good!” She waves goodbye before ducking out of the door hurriedly. 

Tadashi takes this time to exhale rather dramatically. “Thank goodness! We’ve needed someone to apply for ages now.” 

“This is good,” Tsukishima nods. “Now you’ll have more time to focus on your writing again, like you said you wanted to.” He puts his hand on Tadashi’s waist subtly.

Tadashi has to fight from melting at just the slightest amount of contact through the fabric. “Yeah, it’s-” This is all until a sudden flashback decides to greet his subconscious. “Hey!” He turns to Tsukishima, accusingly pointing a finger at his face. “What was with all of that just now?” 

Tsukishima just keeps his never-ceasing neutral expression. “With what?”

Tadashi glares up at the waiter, so unbelievably annoying. “You were just so mean to her!” 

Tsukishima makes a face as if he has no clue what Tadashi is talking about even though he most certainly does. “I wasn't being mean at all, just honest.”

“Honest?” Tadashi was a little annoyed with Tsukishima at first, but being an ass to the majority of the people around him sort of came with the territory which surrounded the man. Yet at this comment, Tadashi finds himself a bit more angry than maybe he should be. “That’s what that was? Cuz the last time I checked, you don’t have some claim over me.” He pokes at Tsukishima’s chest with his index finger. 

Tsukishima cocks his head. “Really?” 

Tadashi pauses. “Um,” And he realizes he doesn't even know what this is. Some unspoken agreement made it seem like Tsukishima hadn't been seeing other people, Tadashi sure as hell hadn't. But it’s not like they ever put a label on it. So Tadashi says just that. “You never said so, at least.” Tadashi clears his throat. “Not until just now…” Another flash of memory at what those words made Tadashi feel like when he spoke them came back to him. He has to look down in order to shield his reddening cheeks which so frequently gave him away. From his view of the ground, he can see Tsukishima’s shoe inch in toward him, a visual that he was stepping closer. 

“Is that ok? That I said that?” His voice is soft. 

Tadashi can’t look back up at Tsukishima, thinks he’ll give away his feelings to the entire restaurant if he’s faced with looking back up at him right now. 

“You like that I said it, don’t you?” Tadashi can hear the grin in Tsukishima’s voice and it makes his face grow redder, this time with frustration. 

Tadashi mumbles. “I’m done cleaning up here. I’m done. I can clock out out now.” 

“Hm, a real coincidence. Seems I clocked out before I even came over here in the first place.”  

Tadashi flings his head back up to look at Tsukishima. His face is ridiculous, his mouth in a dumb grin far too proud of himself. “Guess I could give you a ride home then, since we're both off at the same time and all.” 

A ride home was a bit presumptuous. They make quick work of themselves in Tsukishima’s car before even taking a ride anywhere. 

—

“Yamaguchi! We missed having you here so often!” Hinata is beaming at Yamaguchi, who is sitting at his post now.

Yamaguchi smiles sheepishly as he moves to speak until Hinata cuts in again. 

“I know, I know. I’m happy that your entire life isn't taken up every second here anymore, it’s good for you that you can spend it working on other things you're passionate about. I miss you on your days off but Yachi is also pretty good to come blab with whenever I’m bored.” 

Yamaguchi sighs and shakes his head. “That poor girl.”

“Hey!”

Yamaguchi cracks a smile, and they both laugh. He guesses that he really did grow close with everyone here, really close to a certain person , and he does realize that he had always been grateful for Hinata’s company. In hindsight, the antics he got up to and subsequently dragged Tadashi into actually made his workday quite entertaining.

“Hinata, I appreciate your company, really I do, but isn't your weirdo guy in your section right now? I’m sure he’d appreciate it even more.”

Hinata pauses for a second, before scratching the back of his head and chuckling awkwardly. “Haha… about that.” He looks around, swinging his arms and rolling up and down on the balls of his feet. “I was actually meaning to ask, can you put the cleaning sign outside of the bathroom after I go in?”  

Tadashi pauses. “Um, why?” 

Hinata continues fidgeting. “So that, um nobody goes in while I’m in there?” He chuckles again. 

Tadashi scrutinizes Hinata’s expression. “Hinata, I get this is a restaurant and all but, I don’t know, I never took you as the addict type-” 

Hinata sputters. “W-what? No! That’s not what I need the bathroom for!” He scrubs a hand over his face and groans. “I just…” 

Tadashi can’t help but notice Hinata’s small glance over to Kageyama off at his table in the distance. 

Hinata sighs. “I’m just gonna go in and,” He’s speaking quite lowly, which was clearly a bit hard for him, but it’s obvious he’s trying his best to not allow anyone else to hear him. “Let's just say a guest walks by you clearly on their way to the bathroom. Let them know it’s being cleaned, make sure they don’t go near.” As quiet as he was trying to be, the movement of his hand gestures was quite loud. “But let’s say one of those guests happens to be Kageyama.” He pauses, before explaining.“You don’t have to say anything to him.” 

Tadashi looks at Hinata, unimpressed. “Ok, let me get this straight.” 

It looks as though Hinata wants to protest any ridicule coming his way, but Tadashi cuts him off. 

“I’m playing bathroom guard with everyone in this restaurant, but with Kageyama specifically I am meant to let do whatever he wants.” 

“Yes!” Hinata’s volume rises, but he catches himself. “Yes, exactly that.” He gives  Tadashi a less than reassuring thumbs up. 

Tadashi scoffs, though Hinata seems distracted as he glances back at Kageyama. “Hinata, do you honestly think I was born yesterday? I’m not doing that just so you and your little boy-”

Hinata turns back in Tadashi’s direction, “Wow really, you would do that for me?” He leans in, gripping Tadashi’s arm and jostling him quite roughly. “Haha wow…” He looks Tadashi in the eye, his expression a frantic smile. He laughs in that fake sort of way he does whenever he accidentally drops a tray of food as speaks through his facade of a smile. “You're the best, thanks!” His sentence is strung together into one big word as he scurries off to the restroom. 

Tadashi just sits in awe. He can’t believe it. He can’t even count on both of his hands the amount of times he’s covered for Hinata in terms of broken glasses and spilled soda, and now he really thinks he can convince Tadashi to cover for something as unprofessional as- 

Tadashi’s phone buzzes in his pocket. Making sure nobody is around to view him slacking off, he discreetly opens his messages. 

Tsukki: You're still sleeping over tonight, right? 

His heart swells a bit, still can’t believe after all this time he still gets this way whenever he gets a message from the blond. 

You: Ofc, missed sm u td

At least Tadashi has something to look forward to when he gets off. It’s funny that before a few weeks ago, a day off from Tsukishima would mean Tadashi would have to wait for the next time he was on the schedule to see him at all. Especially funny that the majority of the time spent with Tsukishima would have been inside the walk in-

Tadashi slams his phone back down behind the host stand, silently cursing to himself as he trudges off to the supply closet, fetching the yellow cleaning in progress sign.