Chapter Text
"Tsukki, look!" Yamaguchi exclaimed, pointing at the candy on the shelf. "I didn't know that they sold these here," he said in a quieter tone, grabbing a package off the shelf.
"What are they?" Tsukishima asked, looking at the candy in his friend's hands.
Yamaguchi looked up at him, "Strawberry Mentos!" He told him with a smile.
"Oh yeah, I remember now," Tsukishima replied, looking at the other packages on the shelf, "You loved them when we were kids. You ate them so often, I was surprised you didn't get any cavities. They were your favourite back then, right?"
"They still are, I just haven't seen them in any stores lately. I'm surprised that Coach's store has them," Yamaguchi said, making a mental note to come back some other time. "Come to think of it, what is your favourite candy, Tsukki? I don't think you've ever told me."
"I don't mind black licorice," the blond answered.
Yamaguchi scrunched up his nose in disgust, "You can actually eat that stuff? I tried some when I was little and I never tried it again, it was so bitter. I much prefer sweet candies."
"That's because you're a sweet person," Tsukishima stated, walking towards the front counter.
Yamaguchi blushed slightly, not expecting that kind of remark from his best friend. "Well in that case, I guess it makes sense that you like black licorice, people do say you're bitter!" He said, laughing softly.
Tsukshima looked at his friend standing beside him, now waiting for their turn at the till, "Pft, what do you mean? That blocker from Shiratorizawa called me "Mr. Vanilla." Vanilla is sweet isn't it?" He asked the boy next to him sarcastically.
"Haven't you ever had plain vanilla before?" Yamaguchi asked back in an equally sarcastic tone. "It's fairly bitter itself."
They moved up in line. "I suppose so. Fine, you win," Tsukishima answered jokingly, holding his hands up in mock defeat.
Yamaguchi laughed, "See, I told you! Bitter people like bitter candy!"
"And sweet people like sweet candy," Tsukishima replied, swiping the package of candy out of Yamaguchi's hand as he moved up to the till. He placed them down on the counter and reached into his pocket for his wallet.
"Tsukki? What are you doing?" Yamaguchi asked, confused why he took the candy from him, and why he was looking for his wallet when he wasn't getting anything.
Tsukishima placed the money on the counter and grabbed the candy. "Buying candy," he stated. He mumbled a thank you to the cashier and held the door open for a confused Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi looked at him quizzically. Tsukishima had days where he was in a better mood than others, but even on his really good days, he was hardly ever this nice. "Tsukki, did something good happen today?" The freckled boy asked as they stepped out onto the street.
"Nothing out of the ordinary," the taller boy responded, beginning their normal walk home. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know, you just seem different today," Yamaguchi observed, walking in his normal place behind his friend.
Tsukishima clicked his tongue, "You know, this has always kind of ticked me off," he said as he stopped walking, looking back at Yamaguchi who had also stopped, waiting for Tsukishima to finish his thought.
"Why do you always walk behind me? It's hard to keep a conversation when I can't see you."
Yamaguchi's eyes widened in surprise, "I- I didn't think you liked talking while we walk, so I normally just walk behind you so you don't feel like you have to talk to me..." Yamaguchi trailed off, now looking down at his shoes and fidgeting with his hands.
Now it was Tsukishima's turn to be surprised, "I don't know why you would think that, but believe it or not, I would actually like to talk to my best friend in places other than during water breaks at practice or over text."
Yamaguchi's head shot up and he looked at the blond. He had never, in all the years they had been friends, actually called him his best friend.
Tsukishima's words kept repeating in his head, making Yamaguchi a bit flustered. "T-Tsukki, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Yamaguchi blurted out louder than he intended.
Tsukishima tilted his head to the side slightly. "I feel like I should be asking you that, you're turning red," he stated, wondering what his freckled friend could be so flustered about. "Oh, is it because of what I said in the store about you being sweet? I didn't think it would fluster you this badly," he said, thinking back to it.
Yamaguchi blushed deeper, having nearly forgotten about that. "No, I meant about you calling me your best friend. You've never done that before," he answered quietly.
"Now that makes even less sense," Tsukishima said, walking over to Yamaguchi. "You do know you're my best friend right? You know what best friend means?"
"Of course I know what it means!" Yamaguchi snapped back, not actually mad. "Your best friend is normally your closest friend, your favorite person."
"Exactly, and you fill both of those roles to me, so walk beside me, jeez." Tsukishima grabbed Yamaguchi's wrist and pulled him forward so that they were standing next to each other. "Now let's go, it's getting late," he commented while looking up at the darkening sky as they started walking. He let go of Yamaguchi's wrist, knowing he would walk beside him now.
Yamaguchi thought his face might catch fire if he blushed any harder, Tsukishima's comments that evening were so strange and out of character for him, but Yamaguchi couldn't deny that he liked being complimented and being reassured that he was important to his best friend.
"What are you smiling about?" The blond asked.
Yamaguchi grinned up at him, "Thank you, Tsukki!"
"For what?"
"For being my best friend!"
The tips of the blonde's ears turned red, "Shut up, Yamaguchi.." he mumbled, almost sounding shy.
Yamaguchi laughed, "Sorry Tsukki!"
"Oh right," Tsukishima said, remembering what he had bought in the store, and desperate for a topic change. "These are yours," he said, handing Yamaguchi the package of Strawberry Mentos.
"Oh! Thanks, I almost forgot about these," he said as he took the candy from the taller boy.
Tsukishima hummed in response and stopped outside a house. "We're here."
Yamaguchi looked at the house in shock. It was his house. Tsukishima normally only walked with him until they had to go their separate ways, and hadn't walked him all the way home in a long time.
"O-Oh... wow I didn't realize we were walking for so long." Yamaguchi voiced.
"Makes all the difference when you keep conversation, doesn't it?" Tsukishima teased.
"Fine, you win," Yamaguchi said, holding his hands up in mock defeat, mimicking what Tsukishima had done earlier.
Tsukishima laughed softly, "Good night, Yamaguchi."
"Thank you for walking me home," Yamaguchi said gratefully.
"Mhm."
"And thank you for buying the candy for me."
"Sure."
"Get home safe."
"I will."
"Text me when you get home."
"Alright."
"And-"
"Yamaguchi," Tsukishima cut him off. "Have a good night," he said, smiling softly.
"Good night, Tsukki," Yamaguchi said, returning the smile.
When Yamaguchi got into his house he immediately opened the package of candy in his hand, and popped one into his mouth. They were sweeter than he remembered.