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When they study together, Tsukishima always falls asleep first.
It’s not like Yamaguchi can actually be mad about it, especially considering that Tsukishima actually looks pretty angelic when he sleeps. Not at all like Yamaguchi, who snores and drools and babbles in his sleep.
So, in the middle of studying for the English midterm, when Yamaguchi looks over to see Tsukki bent a bit over the table, arm cradling his head, firmly passed out, he only sighs. Sighs, then grabs a blanket off Tsukishima’s bed to drape over the slumbering boy’s shoulders. Sighs, then takes a picture on his phone just for posterity’s sake. Sighs, then climbs onto Tsukki’s bed and closes his eyes for a little nap himself.
When Yamaguchi wakes up, cheek pinched between two of Tsukishima’s fingers, the taller boy telling him if you wanted to sleep that badly, go home and sleep in your own bed, he just laughs and say sorry Tsukki!
Even though he’s not sorry at all. Because let it be known that Tsukishima had fallen asleep first.
In their second year of high school, Tsukishima gets a larger bed, a hand-me-down from his brother. Akiteru looks on eagerly as Tsukishima appraises the new mattress, which now takes up a sizeable portion of his room.
“Nice, right? You’ll need all the rest you can get now that you’ve got new kouhai to deal with,” Akiteru says, smiling, “Besides, now poor Tadashi won’t have to sleep on that terrible old futon when he spends the night.”
Yamaguchi’s spine goes arrow-straight. Well, sure, he thinks, the futon is not exactly ideal. One could even say it’s pretty uncomfortable. Although, well, it’s not like he hasn’t shared a bed with Tsukki before, even in his old twin bed. It was a pretty tight fit, and they had discontinued the practice once Yamaguchi hit his growth spurt, since their legs kept getting all tangled together, and Tsukki can be a pretty heavy sleeper but apparently Yamaguchi brushing his cold toes against Tsukishima’s calf that one time was enough to wake him up, and—
“No way,” Tsukishima says, “Not if Yamaguchi is going to snore like usual.”
“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi protests, all other considerations forgotten, “I’m supposed to be your best friend, at least let me try out the new bed!”
“You’re my best friend when you’re awake, when you’re asleep you’re just a menace.”
“Tsukki!” Yamaguchi whines, wrapping his arms around Tsukishima’s shoulders and going boneless, dragging the both of them down toward the new mattress. Akiteru follows up by chucking a couple of pillows at them, and the pair finally go down, hitting the bed with a gentle poff!
“Sleep tight, kids!” Akiteru says, closing the door behind him.
Yamaguchi snickers under his breath, sliding his arms down to squeeze at Tsukishima’s side, pulling him closer. (Tsukishima will never admit it, but he is always the little spoon.)
“I changed my mind,” Tsukishima says, though he makes no effort to move, “You’re a menace when you’re awake too.”
Sometimes, when she’s feeling benevolent, Tanaka’s sister will buy booze for the volleyball team, and Coach Ukai will pretend not to notice when they make plans to sneak back into the school gym over the weekend and drink and smack some volleyballs around and shittalk each other.
And sometimes, if Yamaguchi’s parents are both away on business, a group of players will meet at his house instead, sipping their overly-strong mixed drinks and waxing poetic about former and future volleyball victories until the wee hours of the morning, when they’ll finally pass out on the floor of the living room.
Tsukishima will say he only attends these get-togethers because Yamaguchi will bother him endlessly if he doesn’t, but Yamaguchi knows Tsukishima secretly enjoys time spent with his teammates, even if he prefers not to drink. Besides, someone has to help Ennoshita keep everyone else in line.
“I will literally – stop, Ryuu I swear to god – I will literally, I have literally... never been blocked. Ever. I will take that to my grave.”
Except tonight Ennoshita is completely shitfaced, lounging on the floor with his legs spread across Tanaka’s lap. Tanaka, somewhere along the line, has lost his shirt.
“You know that’s not true, dude.”
Ennoshita brings a hand to his chest, “I swear it! I’ve never even played in a match, how could I be blocked!”
“You’re—” Kageyama looks distraught, “You’re the captain. You’re a starting player.”
“Me? I’m just a nubile first-year, don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never even played a volleyball!”
“He’s lost his memory!!” Hinata wails, gripping Ennoshita’s hand, babbling drunk promises to help the captain re-learn how to play volleyball. To the side, Kageyama asks Yachi to define ‘nubile.’
Yamaguchi laughs, even more so when Tsukishima whispers in his ear, “I’m not putting these fools to bed tonight, just so you know.”
It turns out he doesn’t need to. Two hours and three failed rounds of truth or dare later – “Ennoshita-senpai, ‘kiss Tanaka’ can’t always be the dare.” “Why not? He needs the practice, he’ll never get married at this rate!” – the Karasuno hoard begins to fall asleep, one by one. Narita, ever-prepared, rounds the room to take cell phone pictures of the embarrassing poses his teammates have end up in, before face-planting into the couch.
“Ready for bed?” Yamaguchi yawns, pulling at Tsukishima’s sweater. He nods, and the two of them start making their way to Yamaguchi’s room and, more importantly, toward his comfortable, comfortable bed.
From the floor, Hinata whines, “No fair… why is Sobershima the only one who gets to sleep in the bed?”
“Yachi is also in a bed,” Narita points out, not fully asleep yet. (It’s true. Seeing that she was the only girl, Yamaguchi had set Yachi up in his parent’s bed, insisting over her stammering that it was no problem.)
“Boyfriend privileges,” a sleepy voice that sounds a bit like Kageyama says, and Yamaguchi instantly begins stammering in a way that would put Yachi to shame.
Tsukishima is unbothered, “I’m the only one who won’t puke in Yamaguchi’s bed, unlike you drunk idiots,” he says, looking down at them, face smug. Kageyama looks like he’d be shaking his fist at Tsukishima, if his arm weren’t trapped underneath Hinata’s torso.
“C’mon Yamaguchi,” this time Tsukishima ushers them away, nudging Yamaguchi along down the hallway.
They’re quite as they get dressed for bed and climb under the covers, and Yamaguchi makes quick work of worming his way under Tsukishima’s arm. He likes the way Tsukishima sometimes rubs his back as he falls asleep, and Yamaguchi lets out a satisfied puff as Tsukki indulges him, nestling his head in the crook of the taller boy’s neck.
“You’re needy,” Tsukishima says.
“Shut up, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi says, wrapping an arm around Tsukishima’s waist before he can pull away. Tsukki just tsks him, though his hand never stops its movements, gently stroking the space between Yamaguchi’s shoulder blades.
They’re almost asleep when Yamaguchi asks, “How come no one else gets to see you be this nice?”
Yamaguchi’s not actually expecting a response, he just likes to tease. But he thinks he hears Tsukishima say, “Boyfriend privileges,” before they both drift off to sleep.
“He’s at it again… the Sleeping Menace.”
At that year’s Tokyo Training Camp, the Karasuno players take turns being the one who has to wake Yamaguchi up. That’s what they say, however, one by one they each fail to rouse him, which is when Tsukishima – the resident Yamaguchi Tadashi Expert – must be called in for backup.
The secret, they learn, is to be gentle. In fact, it is almost alarming to see Tsukishima be so preternaturally gentle, running the back of his hand across Yamaguchi’s jaw softly, before simply saying, “Wake up.”
Yamaguchi wakes up instantly, although he will be groggy for the next hour at least. Tsukishima’s teammates regard him with an alarmed and curious reverence (before he shoots them his trademark glare and they back off.)
By the next morning, the routine will begin anew, with Yamaguchi spread out across at least three futons in some new position, or maybe curled into the tightest fetal position possible, or maybe even face down, ass up. (The upperclassmen take many photos of this pose, to be used for future blackmail purposes.)
And at night -- “I don’t remember him being this noisy last year,” Nishinoya whispers, referring to Yamaguchi’s various sleep noises. Usually, it’s a loud, steady snore, or maybe some nonsensical sleep babble. Tonight, however, it’s an array of moans and whimpers, which could probably only be categorized as—
“Tsukishima,” Tanaka hisses, “Why didn’t you tell us Yamaguchi makes fuckin’ sex noises in his sleep.”
Tsukishima doesn’t bother cracking an eye open, “You didn’t ask.”
“Why would I ask such a specific question?!”
“Just ignore it, he’ll stop eventually.”
Yamaguchi lets out a timely oohh! that kind of undermines Tsukishima’s point. Hinata is giggling like a madman. There’s a lot of awkward shuffling noises before the rest of the team finally dozes off.
The next morning, no one takes photos of the embarrassing pose Yamaguchi wakes up in, or gives him grief for being a noisy, restless sleeper. Indeed, they can barely look him in the eye over breakfast. Yamaguchi, for his part looks very pleased.
“That wasn’t very nice of you last night,” Tsukishima whispers to Yamaguchi during warm ups, “I don’t think Tanaka-senpai and Nishinoya-senpai will be able to even look at you for the rest of the week.”
Yamaguchi shrugs, before bringing his arm over his head for a lateral stretch, “I have no idea what you’re referring to.”
Tsukishima smirks, “I mean, I think I would have noticed if you making indecent noises in your sleep was actually a common occurrence.”
“I didn’t keep you up, did I Tsukki?” Yamaguchi looks up at the taller boy through dark lashes.
But all he gets in response is a flat, “No.”
Yamaguchi deflates a bit, but he beams when Tsukishima adds, “It’s because I’m already used to your terrible sleeping antics. Unfortunately.”
That night, no one gives Yamaguchi grief when he moves his futon a bit, so it’s right next to Tsukishima’s. Tsukishima is completely bundled in blankets despite the hot summer weather, but Yamaguchi still throws an arm over the other boy’s torso, and falls asleep with his forehead resting on the plane of Tsukishima’s back.
Yamaguchi goes the whole night without making a peep, and Tsukishima sleeps like a baby.
When he becomes Captain of the Karasuno Men’s Volleyball Club, Tsukishima is secretly pleased. That’s okay, though, because Yamaguchi is not-so-secretly pleased enough for the both of them.
“Did you know he’s the captain of a powerhouse volleyball team?!” Yamaguchi says to the waitress at the diner they go to after school. He’s pointing not-so-subtlety at Tsukishima, who only groans and says shut up Yamaguchi.
“Grrr…” Hinata is tearing a napkin into little pieces, “I won’t lose to you Tsukishima!”
“You’re literally Vice Captain,” Kageyama points out.
“I know, I know,” Hinata is still pouty, even after former-Vice Captain Tanaka had taken him aside after the club meeting and explained that Vice Captain is Secretly the Cooler Position That Gets All The Chicks. Hinata isn’t buying it.
“Oh— at least now I rank above Kageyama!!” (Kageyama does not take kindly to that.)
Truthfully, Tsukishima is a good captain. A lot less reliant on tough love than others might have assumed he’d be; much better at letting each player grow and develop at the pace that’s best for them. Maybe that’s why Yamaguchi feels bad about being the resident Problem Child.
“Yamaguchi,” Tsukki pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers, “Practice has been over for literally three hours.”
“Uh huh…” Yamaguchi just tosses up another serve, watching it hit the band of the net and dribble over to the other side, just as planned.
Tsukishima has already set about untying the net, and Yamaguchi makes a noise of protest as one side droops down, “Hey!”
“Go home, stupid,” Tsukishima says, pulling the net down so he can fold it, “You’re gonna fall asleep in class tomorrow.”
Lately, Yamaguchi seems to be the first in and the last out of the gym every day. He’s not nearly as intensive as Hinata or Kageyama or some of the underclassmen, who practice with a kind of fervor that leaves everyone else in the dust. Yamaguchi is more measured and repetitious, but he never really knows when to say when, staying up until all hours of the night cranking out serve after serve after serve.
“I never should have given you a key to the gym,” Tsukishima sighs.
“But… boyfriend privileges,” Yamaguchi says, grinning as he packs up his gym clothes. He never gets tired of seeing the intense pink color those words bring to Tsukishima’s face.
“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”
“Sorry, sorry!” Yamaguchi is, as usual, not sorry at all.
They walk home together, Tsukki not even putting up a fight when Yamaguchi hooks an arm through his elbow, leaning his head against Tsukishima’s shoulder.
“Tch… I told you you’d be tired.”
“I’m going home now, aren’t I?” Yamaguchi says, stifling a yawn. He doesn’t want to go home, though, back to an empty house and a cold bed. His parents are out of town again, and he realizes that he hasn’t had dinner yet. There’s not much of anything in the fridge… what takeout places are open this late on a weeknight? He should really know by now.
They’ve reached the fork in the road where they usually part ways -- the road to Yamaguchi’s house on the right, Tsukki’s on the left. Yamaguchi yawns, gives Tsukishima a quick peck, and waves goodbye, heading toward his house.
Except— “Tadashi… Where are you going?”
“Wh—” Yamaguchi pauses, eyes locking on to where Tsukishima’s hand is gripping his wrist, the long, slender fingers fitting around it easily, “I’m going home?”
“Yeah,” Tsukishima says, as if that’s supposed to explain anything. And then, after another pause, emphatically, “You’re supposed to come home.”
It has never been said that Tsukishima is the kind of guy to beat around the bush, which is why Yamaguchi has to pause, eyes narrowing, at how vague he’s being right now. But then he takes in the small pout on Tsukishima’s face, the light dusting of color on his cheeks barely visible under the street lamp light, the way his eyes keep darting around.
Oh, Yamaguchi realizes. He means home. Home to Tsukishima’s house, where there’s likely leftovers from a home-cooked meal, and a bed they can share, and a toothbrush already laid out for Yamaguchi in the bathroom.
“You’re so cute, Tsukki!” Yamaguchi says, backtracking and joining Tsukishima at the fork in the road, “You can just ask if you want me to come home with you.”
Tsukishima rolls his eyes, “You should just know by now.”
“Sorry, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi says, but he’s grinning from ear to ear. His fingers find the empty spaces between Tsukishima’s own and they head toward his house, hand in hand, “You promise not to kick me out of bed if I snore?”
“I got earplugs.”
Wow, that’s… somehow, to Yamaguchi, that’s the sweetest thing Tsukishima has said all night, “Well, what if my feet are too cold?”
“Socks.”
“What if I talk in my sleep?”
“... I don’t mind that,” Tsukishima looks embarrassed again, “Sometimes you say cute things.”
Yamaguchi beams, “If you want to be a good boyfriend, you’re supposed to say that everything I say is cute.”
“Well, sometimes you say stupid things. So, no.”
Yamaguchi hums, “Well, what if I drool in my sleep?”
It appears, from the way he pauses, face grimacing, that Tsukishima has not yet thought of a contingency plan for that one. Finally, voice faux-serious, he says, “I guess I’ll just have to suffer.”
“We’ll have to sleep on it,” Yamaguchi says, nudging Tsukishima’s shoulder with his own.
They do, although no solution comes to mind. Tsukishima wakes up to a slightly damp pillow and his drooling boyfriend’s limbs trapping him against the bed. Yamaguchi Tadashi truly is a menace when he sleeps.
(It turns out, Tsukishima doesn’t actually mind at all.)