OH CAPTAIN, MY DAICHI

TXT: quick what do you do to calm down?

[msg]: sing “happy birthday” in the deepest, most serious voice you can manage.

[Text to: Yamaguchi] i hope you have a good excuse for missing practice

      The first thing Yamaguchi reached for when he woke from his sleep was his phone; lightly stirring in the bed as he checked for the time. His rest was…pleasant, and fortunately, his headache had subsided a by a good amount. It wasn’t unexpected – he always had a good rest when he was in this room, yet he swore his heart stopped for a short second when his eyes saw the time.

The boy immediately shot up from the bed with a gasp, cringing for a moment at his sudden movement; yet his eyes wide when he saw  how unbelievably late it was! Morning practice was practically over!

When he noticed the message icon on the upper bar, he realized that someone had texted him while he was asleep, most likely asking of his whereabouts. A part of him wished to see that it was Tsukishima that messaged him as he unlocks his phone, but he only feels little disappointment to find out that it’s not.

But that’s alright. 

Yamaguchi raised a brow, carefully lying back down on the soft bed, to see that he had received six messages from the very owner of the bed he was lying in in a span of almost an hour, his disappointment fading in exchange for amusement. He read the first message, a grin appearing on his lips. 

Let’s see– 

[Text to: Yamaguchi] where are you

       It was unexpected, yet it didn’t surprise him to know that Daichi would send him a number of messages. He could almost hear how the older tried to sound casual in his second text, masking his growing worry for him, perhaps for not being in the club room when he already should have been. Though guilty, it made him smile a little wider. 

[Text to: Yamaguchi] are you running late

Ten minutes since his last message, he noticed, his smile fond. It made the first year wonder if Daichi had been thinking about him since then. He was always like this, always looking out for him ever since that day – so much that he had given him the freedom to  use his bedroom whenever he pleases. 

Of course, he didn’t take advantage of this immediately. This was the first time he was alone here. It was only more recent, when his own belongings began to litter the older’s room each time he spent his nights here, and he realized he had established an unbreakable bond between his captain.  

It made Yamaguchi wonder what Daichi imagined happened to him in his absence. 

Made him wonder if he asked Tsukishima. 

Made him wonder what Tsukishima would have said.

Made him wonder if Tsukishima would have worried about him too. 

[Text to: Yamaguchi] we're starting without you hurry up

Yamaguchi had buried his nose into the pillow while reading the fourth message, taking in the familiar scent. No matter how much time he spends here, it still smells like Daichi - not that he truly minded. It was still his room after all. 

He knew that he sent this just a few minutes before the team starts warming up, because the use of phones were usually not allowed during practice. He felt bad knowing this, hoping that it didn’t affect his performance for the morning – but clearly, Daichi had still been thinking about him as he still had two messages left to read.

[Text to: Yamaguchi] YAMAGUCHI I JUST SCARED YOUR MOTHER WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE EITHER

What.

Yamaguchi rose from the bed again at the urgency of his message. He asked his mother? He didn’t know whether to be scared for his life, knowing he would be reprimanded when he returns home for not heading straight to school, to feel guilty that he made Daichi worry that much, or to be amused that he resorted to messaging his mother of all people– but he still found himself quietly snickering to himself anyway, rolling on his back to read the last message.

He felt worse, having involved his mother in worrying for him as well; he should have messaged Daichi that he would be stopping over at his place to rest. However, he recalled being too dazed too, which had led him to pass out on his captain’s bed.

[Text to: Yamaguchi] if you are were i think you are then okay but tell me next time

[Text to: Sawamura Daichi] I’m really really really sorry daichi-san!!!! [Text to: Sawamura Daichi] I’m in your room right now.. i really meant to go to morning practice i swear but i ended up in your place instead and slept?[Text to: Sawamura Daichi] Is it ok that i wait for you here to come home?

     He sent the last message a little too quickly to realize his awkward wording, yet he didn’t dwell on it too much. He knew Daichi would understand; he always does. 

Lying back on Daichi’s bed, Yamaguchi felt…spoiled, which was something he never felt before. Ever since that day in the club room where Daichi found him crying over his unrequited love with Tsukishima, he felt inseparable from the older, confiding in him and receiving support in return. Along the way, he discovered things about his captain that he knew only a select number of people would know, and it only made their trust for each other even stronger. 

Thinking about Daichi sending him all those messages, he truly believed that if the tables were turned, Yamaguchi would most likely send him a barrage of text messages as well, asking, worrying. He really appreciated Daichi to no end.

Letting out a soft breath, Yamaguchi sent his final message:

[Text to: Sawamura Daichi] Thank you for worrying about me