A/N: I'm in for some tsundere action so let's get on with this!! Trigger Warning though, a part mentions depression. 

"Comfort"

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"You idiot! I bought you ramen so we could eat together!" Shirabu exclaimed, his frustration increasing at your unwavering, clueless expression. 

"B-But you said these were almost expired! I-Isn't that the reason why you came over-- to give these to me?" 

Shirabu's brows furrowed at your reply, "So you can cook it, obviously! It's been a while since I had a meal made by you." His voice faltered as the second portion of his sentence progressed and crimson slowly engulfed his 'composed' facial features. 

You didn't pay mind to the demand in his tone, knowing there was a requesting underlay to his words. You invited your copper-haired best friend in, telling him to settle down by the television while you got to cooking. 

"I'll get some tea brewing too." You smiled, preparing the kettle. 

Having been at your house practically all his life, Shirabu helped himself to the television, switching the channels, hearing a squeak from the kitchen. 

Glancing over to you, he was met with your downcast expression, to which he raised a curious brow at. "What?" He spoke up. 

"I was watching (favorite movie), though it was on break for advertisements." You mumble, loud enough for Shirabu to hear.. "I'm sure you were watching stupid anyway." He replied, causing you to pout before conceding defeat with a sigh. 

As you went back to tending to the ramen, Shirabu swiftly changed the channel back to that of which you were previously on. 

From the corner of your eye you saw a flash of the movie-protagonist's hair color (if they're bald then their eyes, etc.), and you couldn't help but smile. 

Y'see, being close friends with the infamous rookie setter of the one and only, Shiratorizawa, Kenjirō Shirabu includes; teasing him about his bangs, being forced to eat whitebait, supporting him in volleyball, and although his vocabulary is quite harsh, you're grateful that the male had always been there for you.

Especially since your parents' passing. 

Extremely devastated and grieving you'd been, Shirabu was there to comfort you until you got back onto your feet. Even when you found it difficult to move on, he was patient with you, monitored your state, and Shirabu was the one who tried hard in making you smile again.

On top of that he still had to manage his volleyball activities, but he never made you feel as if you were merely a liability to get over with.  When you were back to your normal state, he scolded you, telling you that he never wanted to see you in such a state ever again.   

The wounds were still healing, it had only been a few months after all. 'I still have Shirabu.' you kept repeating to yourself, and remained grateful despite your loss.   

There's always meaning behind his gestures, even when he tries to create a diversion from the truth, he eventually gives up and scolds you for not having the slightest clue on his actual intentions. To be honest, you found that side of him adorable. 

And when he was dead-set on winning a match, it made him all the more attractive to you. But you could never tell him that. You're worried he might get the wrong idea, worse-- he'd distance himself from you knowing you'd developed feelings within a 'friendly' atmosphere.  

Yes, you're yearning to tell him that you like him beyond being friends, but you were contented with right now. The present, where a comfortable, almost comical warmth hung in the air as you bring two bowls of ramen onto the table installed in front of the TV.

Lapse

Shortly after you finished your ramen, you'd fallen asleep on Shirabu, who panicked at your close proximity. He couldn't focus on the movie, only on the soft snores that emitted from your soft lips, temptation to plant his own against them was hard to win against, but he wasn't going to act on anything without your knowledge. 

"Dammit." He cursed, realizing the movie's credits were already rolling and he contemplated on whether or not he should wake you up.

In the end, the male couldn't bring himself to disturb your serenity and instead scooped you up into his arms, where you snuggled into his chest. Grunting at the contact, the flustered Shirabu did his best to keep his heart inside it's cage as he carried you to your room. 

The copper-haired setter gently placed you under your blanket, basking in the sight of you as the hue of sunset casted over your body. A ghost of a smile still on your face, even asleep, you were optimistic.

But you weren't asleep, ascending the stairs was enough to wake you, though you felt mischievous and pretended you were. It took all you had to not smile, to not bring the setter into your arms and thank him for taking care of you.   

"Are you having a nice dream?" Shirabu smiled, sitting down beside you. "An amazing girl like you doesn't deserve to live with nightmares." His hand instinctively held yours, his thumb mindlessly caressed your knuckles.

"So please, don't ever lose your smile."

"With you by my side, I won't ever." You answered, opening your (e/c) eyes as a stream of tears rolled down your face. "Thank you Kenjirō..." You whimpered, sitting up to lace your arms around his shoulders. 

Blushing furiously at the fact that you'd hear him, Shirabu began to stammer. "I-I... Y-You're w..welcome...?" 

The two of you stayed like that for a little while before Shirabu began to speak up once more. Staring into your eyes with his own, he breathed out. 

"I love you (y/n)..." 

He mustered up the courage, he finally confessed, and he was not so eager to hear your words of your rejection. If you could even form proper words at this point, you were a stuttering mess. It was better than receiving deafening silence at least, spared the both of you the awkwardness.  

"S-So... Wanna go out?" He cut off your verbal struggle. 

"Of course!!" You squealed, "I love you too!" The waterworks just kept coming. Relieved that you reciprocated his feelings towards you, he let a smile encase his usually agitated attributes. One you, yet again, squealed at.   

"O-Oi, keep it down! The whole neighborhood's going to hear you at this point." He snaps, clamping a hand over your mouth and muffling your complaining whines. "Shut up and just let me cuddle you." He groans, bringing you down onto the bed to lay with him. 

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Word Count: 1.2k

Hope you enjoyed, sorry if that was crappy.