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Tobio didn’t really notice it the first time. He’d been so consumed with rage that he hadn’t even stopped to think about why Tsukishima had come up to him and informed him in that annoying, holier-than-thou voice that: “the King should really watch his bowel movements- don’t want him to screw up the match by having to leave in the middle for the bathroom, eh Yamaguchi?” Tobio had gone to the restroom after that, but only to escape the smaller, freckled-faced boy’s giggling when he thought Tobio wasn’t paying attention. It had been a surprise for him to find Hinata there, cowering outside the bathroom as two morons towered over him and crowded his space, most likely taunting him about his height. It really was remarkable how Hinata, who was always so, so brave on the court could turn into an easily bullied boy whenever he was off it. It really pissed him off. What right did they think they had, trying to intimidate his spiker?
Needless to say, a few minutes later, Tobio was confident that those boys wouldn’t be harassing Hinata for a while, and Hinata himself did look more confident afterwards. Tobio realised in that moment that Hinata also looked rather cute as he ducked his head and blushed while he thanked the ground for his assistance.
Wait, what?
…
Tobio couldn’t help but wonder why every single bloody time Hinata went to a bathroom something bad happened or he had some sort of terrifying confrontation with the enemy. It seemed that Hinata and bathrooms were just a combination that called on trouble. He had thought it a little strange when, once again, he’d been goaded by Tsukishima into going to the bathroom, but that suspicion had faded when his eyes were violently assaulted by the horrific image of Oikawa Tooru leaning dangerously into Hinata’s personal space, a cruel grin on his lips as he maliciously whispered something devious to the shaking red-head, probably about the team or more likely Tobio himself, by the way Hinata’s shoulders squared defensively and he scowled at the older boy.
The defiant image was soon ruined by the way Hinata’s face turned a little blue as his stomach turned and he whimpered pathetically. Tobio took this as his cue to step in and scowl at his ex-senpai heatedly until Iwaizumi dragged him away. Hinata thanked him again and nearly ran into the bathroom, but Tobio grabbed him by the shoulder and pressed some anti-nausea tablets into his palm along with a water bottle. Tobio had come prepared this time.
Tsukishima smirked at him when they walked back together to the changing rooms, and Tobio thought he might’ve heard him whisper something about a Queen to Yamaguchi so he scowled at them too for good measure, but all it seemed to do was send them into another set of infuriating giggles.
…
Tobio supposed that he was a bit stupid. It did take him a rather long while to figure out what was going on. Tsukishima had approached him again and again before and after practice matches and competitions, always teasing him about being a King and Hinata being his Queen, and always, always, sending him in the direction of the bathroom where he would no doubt find Hinata being harassed by all kinds of people. He kind of felt bad… for those bullies. When Tobio was through with them, they were the ones left shaking and blue-faced, rushing into the bathroom as soon as Tobio pulled Hinata back around the corner. And yes, he had realised that he had a new reputation now because of it, and yes, he knew that Hinata was starting to look at him strangely, but no, he wouldn’t be leaving his Hinata to be assaulted by those morons.
And if his heart warmed whenever Hinata— whenever Shouyou blushed and thanked him afterwards, then that was no one else’s business. No one else’s but Tsukishima's, apparently.
…
He wasn’t able to fully comprehend it until the next game when he realised that Yamaguchi was standing by himself for once. He nearly went to go ask about it when Tsukishima came jogging around the corner, eyes immediately seeking out Tobio before jerking a thumb in the direction of the bathroom. Tobio left the room in less than three seconds, and only one of those was wasted by wondering why Tsukishima himself didn’t help Shouyou out while he was there. The other two were the time that it took him to sprint from his spot across the room and out of the door.
It was worse this time: Shouyou was completely backed against the wall facing three guys who were all at least thirty centimetres taller than him. Tobio was proud that he wouldn’t have to explain to the captain again why he had punched someone from another school when the three cowards ran as soon as they caught sight of him.
Shouyou’s little body deflated in relief when he caught sight of the setter and Tobio realised that he would just have to escort him to and from the bathroom after this. It was that decision that brought him to the current situation, where he had been waiting outside the bathroom door for Shouyou to finish his business after the most recent practice match when he heard a muffled yelp and a thud; the voice sounding suspiciously familiar.
Tobio debated with himself about going and checking it out, but was glad he had when he turned the corner to see Yamaguchi facing off with a stocky player from the team they’d just beaten. Tobio didn’t even think before he was turning on his heels and sprinting back to the room where the rest of the team were getting changed, passing a bewildered Shouyou on the way.
This wasn’t his fight. Tobio wasn’t Yamaguchi’s protector—he belonged to Shouyou.
Tobio finally realised why Tsukishima never fought them off himself when he found the bullies, seeking out Tobio instead. Tsukishima didn’t like Shouyou, not the way that Tobio did.
Tobio would go to the ends of the earth for Shouyou and freaking Tsukishima figured that out before Tobio did.
Tobio’s shoes squealed as he slid through the changing room door at full speed, sharp eyes already locking on Tsukishima, ignoring the rest of his teammates completely (who had all made startled sounds at his appearance and where now looking at him like he was crazy; well, crazier than usual). Tobio hadn’t even managed to utter Yamaguchi’s name before Tsukishima was barrelling out the door and through the halls; to the chagrin of Tanaka, who had been in the middle of a conversation with him.
Tobio heard Shouyou’s startled squawk as Tsukishima ran past him in the corridor, but he stuck his head out of the doorway and gestured him inside before he could run after the tall middle blocker. Tobio sighed as he ran his hand through his hair and turned to face Shouyou directly, starting up a random conversation to distract the diminutive boy.
In all truthfulness, he was thankful for Tsukishima for sending him to rescue Shouyou each and every time that he was in trouble as it not only got him to realise his own feelings towards the small ray of sunshine known as Hinata Shouyou, but it also helped their team dynamics—Shouyou trusted him now more than ever.
…
Tobio realised that he was still an idiot two weeks later, when instead of looking down at the ground and blushing, Shouyou reached up as high as he could with his short stature and planted an impossibly soft kiss on Tobio’s chin before turning tail and trying to run.
Trying being the key word there.
Tobio muttered a fond “dumbass” before turning him around and holding the shorter close to his body, sighing contently as the tension in his chest finally receded and he could bury his head into Shouyou’s vibrant mass of hair and press an equally soft kiss to the red-faced middle blocker’s forehead.
Tobio didn’t say a mean word to Tsukishima or Yamaguchi for the next three weeks after that, and Shouyou never got cornered near the bathrooms again, the rumours of the ultimate decoy’s demon bodyguard spreading like wildfire to all the other teams.