You packed away your stationary with a distracted frown, ending up - as usual - the last one out of the classroom.

Flashing Sensei a smile, you stepped across the threshold of the door with a sigh, weaving clumsily through the students populating the hallways beyond. Your bag bounced against your hip with each step, and you adjusted it impatiently upon reaching your locker, withdrawing the books sitting within. Dropping them inside, you clipped the door shut and turned around.

Sudden panic overrode your mind, fixing you to the spot. Your locker was duly situated opposite the art classrooms, with student's work displayed on the adjacent walls, and your heart stuttered out of rhythm as your eyes fell on a familiar black and white portrait - an apparent reflection of the boy stood in front of it.

You sniffed loudly as Tsukishima suddenly turned around, his eyes connecting with yours. His usual bright honey-coloured irises had dulled down into something more murky and bleak - flashing under the dim filament lights above. His lips were drawn into a thin line, brows slanted downwards, and your heartreat increased tenfold as he took a step toward you.

Did he know it was you who'd drawn him?

If he didn't at that point, he must've figured it out from the look on your face. You could practically feel the blood drain from it, leaving you very conspicuously pale.

Swallowing back the lump in your throat, you hoisted your bag over your shoulder and hurried away. Once you were out of his sight, you broke into a run, barrelling through the corridors and tearing across the courtyard, setting your sights on the bikeshed.

The perfect place to hide.

Resting your palms against your knees, you doubled over and panted heavily through your nose until your blood had stopped pumping so fast. Then you slid to the ground and shuffled your legs into a criss-cross, setting your bag aside and opening up your lunch box. Here was as good a place as any to eat, you figured; at least there'd be no distractions...

"U-uhm, excuse me?"

You looked up with a start, almost dropping the box in your hand as it slipped through your fingers. A boy was partially stooped in front of you, messy brown hair sticking out from his head and freckles dappling his cheeks. He held an air of uncertainty about him, but he had a kind smile playing along his lips that eased any doubts. "Oh, can I help you?"

He straightened himself then, fixing his shirt as he took a step closer. "You're [L/N] [F/N], aren't you? We share the same mathematics class."

You blinked slowly at the boy, digesting his features. He didn't look familiar, but you recognised his voice. You supposed this was the result of sitting in class with your head buried in a book most of the time.

"Y-yes, that's me. Uhm, I'm sorry but I don't-"

"Yamaguchi. T-Tadashi Yamaguchi," he stammered, shuffling into a clumsy bow. "I, er, saw you running away from Tsukishima just now."

Your breath hitched a little as you set your lunch aside, no longer hungry. Had he followed you all the way out here? That meant Tsukishima could've easily chased you too.

"I w-was just wondering," he continued, his eyes darting to and fro between you and the ground, "if it was you who, uhm, if you were the one who d-drew that portrait of him."

You swallowed thickly, tearing your eyes away from his. Was there any point in denying it? The boy didn't appear threatening in any way - he didn't look the sort to tease you if you admitted you had - and he might know Kei as more than just a classmate, which would allow you to ask about him.

"Yes," you admitted reluctantly, fiddling with the grass stemming from the dirt around you. "I drew it in class yesterday and Sensei wanted to display it."

Humming quietly, Yamaguchi crouched to his knees and leaned forward on his hands. "It's a b-beautiful portrait, [Y/N]-San," he told you sheepishly, his cheeks dappling pink. You too flushed a little from the compliment. "B-but why did you draw Tsukishima?"

It was a good question - one you also wished you knew the answer to.

"I... I don't know," you mumbled, brushing a strand of hair out of your face. "I just did... I-" you cut yourself short, your thoughts tripping over themselves. You were about to tell him of the night you'd found Tsukishima crying on his porch, but you weren't sure how well they knew each other. You didn't quite trust him well enough yet. Instead, you rolled your shoulders into a lazy shrug, picking up your head. Yamaguchi caught your eye with a light blush.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pr-"

"It's okay," you cut him off quickly, waving your hands about. "Though, if you don't mind me asking, do you know Tsukishima well or-"

"Hey!"

The two of you whipped round with a start, your heart suddenly sinking under the anchor of dread.

"T-tsukki-"

The blonde held up a hand to silence him, making Tadashi stumble over his words and eventually fall silent. Tsukki? They definitely knew each other.

"Why did you do it?" He growled at you, those beautiful golden eyes now licking with flames.

You bit your lip, racking your mind for an excuse. Alas, your heartbeat was drowning out your thoughts, making it difficult to concentrate. "I-I don't know. I saw you though the window and just d-drew you," you said pathetically, cuddling your legs to your chest, as if to distance yourself from him.

Was he going to beat you up?

The anger drained from his face, leaving in its wake a tired, sad-looking boy. "I wasn't near the art classrooms yesterday," he told you, angling his body away so that he didn't face you as he spoke. "Whatever. Just...just stop it okay? I don't need... pity or whatever. Just leave me alone."

Yamaguchi scrambled to his feet as Tsukishima strode away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

But a single sentence caught in your throat and echoed in your head that almost made you reach out to stop him.

Don't you think you've been alone for too long?

________________________________________

unedited bc i'm lazy ;-;
exams start tomorrow
helP pls