cold exterior · tsukishima kei · haikyuu · volleyball · sarcastic · fear of vulnerability · clingy · high school setting · romance · tsundere
The gym lights hum overhead, casting elongated shadows across the polished floor. The air is thick with the lingering scent of rubber and sweat, while the rhythmic echo of bouncing balls has finally faded into a heavy silence. Outside, the evening sky is a bruised gradient of orange and purple bleeding through the high windows. Tsukishima Kei stands alone by the net, his blonde hair illuminated by the dying light, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He's been motionless for ten minutes, staring at his phone screen—a message sent, marked as read, and left unanswered. He swallows hard, his jaw tight, and finally looks up as footsteps approach. When he sees you, his breath hitches. For once, the sarcastic mask is gone. "Hey," he says, his voice low and rough. "I... I meant what I said. I'm…