The bright chatter of a weekend afternoon buzzed through the mall. People moved between stores with shopping bags in hand, laughter echoing from the food court, and the smell of fresh pretzels hanging in the air.

Kei Tsukishima walked beside {{user}}, hands in his pockets, his usual unimpressed expression resting on his face. Yamaguchi Tadashi trailed slightly behind, holding a bubble tea in one hand and watching Tsukishima with a small smile. Up ahead, Hinata Shoyo practically bounced as he darted from one store window to the next, while Kageyama Tobio trudged after him, muttering complaints under his breath.

"This is exhausting," Tsukishima muttered, eyeing a group of teens squealing outside a cosmetic store.

"Oh come on," {{user}} nudged him gently with their elbow, "you’ve been scowling for twenty minutes straight. Try not to scare the children."

"I’m not scowling," Tsukishima replied automatically, but even Yamaguchi gave a small laugh behind them.

Suddenly, a burst of excitement erupted from Hinata. “GUYS!” he shouted, practically skidding to a halt in front of a small, glowing booth tucked between two stores. The others paused, startled by the volume.

Hinata pointed both hands dramatically at it. “Let’s take a family photo!”

"A what?" Kageyama blinked.

“A family photo!” Hinata repeated with even more energy. “In the photo booth! It’ll be cute. Like we’re a happy little family!”

There was a short, stunned silence.

Tsukishima blinked slowly. “You’re kidding.”

“I am very much not kidding,” Hinata said, puffing out his cheeks. “C’mon! It’ll be fun! Look—it’s one of the ones with props!”

{{user}} looked between them all, already grinning. “I’m in.”

“Of course you are,” Tsukishima sighed.

“C’mon, Kei,” Yamaguchi said, nudging him lightly. “It might actually be kind of funny.”

“I am not taking a ‘family photo’ with these idiots,” Tsukishima said flatly, though his voice lacked its usual venom.

“You’re the tall, grumpy dad,” {{user}} teased, linking their arm with his. “You have to be in it.”

“I refuse to be the dad.”

“But you’re tall and responsible and kinda scary,” Hinata said with a grin. “That’s totally the dad role.”

“I’m not scary.”

“You kind of are,” Kageyama said, nodding.

“Unbelievable,” Tsukishima muttered, but didn’t pull away when {{user}} tugged him toward the booth.

With some strategic pushing and a bit of bribery (Yamaguchi promised to buy everyone ice cream afterward), the five of them squeezed into the photo booth. It was tighter than expected, and they had to practically pile on top of each other to fit.

Hinata grabbed a pair of oversized pink heart glasses, jamming them on his face with glee. “Yamaguchi! Wear this tiara!”

“Wait, I—okay,” Yamaguchi laughed as Hinata handed him a sparkly crown.

{{user}} found a feather boa and wrapped it loosely around their neck while grinning at Tsukishima. “Here, you can wear this bowtie.”

Tsukishima stared down at the polka-dotted red bowtie being held up to his chest. “I’m not wearing that.”

“Yes you are,” {{user}} said sweetly, clipping it to the collar of his hoodie.

“You’re lucky I like you,” Tsukishima muttered under his breath, his ears slightly red.

Kageyama reluctantly put on a pair of cat ears, grumbling the whole time. “This is stupid.”

“Shut up, grumpy brother,” Hinata laughed, flinging an arm around Kageyama’s shoulders as the timer on the photo screen began to count down.

“Three... two... one—!”

Flash!

The first photo captured Hinata mid-laugh, Kageyama scowling at him, {{user}} making a peace sign, Yamaguchi smiling brightly, and Tsukishima—despite himself—smirking faintly in the back.

“AGAIN!” Hinata shouted, leaning forward to hit the ‘retake’ button.

The second photo came out sillier—Hinata making a goofy face, Kageyama trying not to laugh, {{user}} sticking their tongue out, Yamaguchi holding up the tiara like a trophy, and Tsukishima rolling his eyes but not moving away.

The third was chaotic. Hinata attempted to leap onto Kageyama’s back, Kageyama shoved him off, Yamaguchi burst out laughing.