The Man Who Ran Off With The Moon - [ Tsukkiyama Art Thief AU! ]

A House By The Sea

Seven years later

Her name was Mei Kozume-Kuroo, and she was the most loved little girl in the entire universe. Even now this was true, when she was rapid fire kicking the back of her father's seat.

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

Kenma turned around, giving his daughter a tired look. "Almost."

She fell quiet, but went on kicking his seat, punching out a rhythm to the song on the radio. Kuroo chuckled softly at his husband's discomfort, turning left onto a gravel path. "Mei, if you look, you'll be able to see the ocean soon."

"REALLY?"

She pressed her face against the car window. Kenma gave Kuroo a grateful look. He took his husband's free hand, running his thumb against his palm. Kenma looked through the rear view mirror, smiling as he watched Mei's excitement grow, her small fingers making little prints on the glass. She craned her neck, longing to catch sight of the waves.

At least twice a year, they would take a long car ride to go see her uncles. She loved the visits, even if they were a bit strange. The gravel path wound like a snake through the tall grass, leading up to a solitary building on a cliff's edge. It was a simple home, wood and stone, with light blue shutters and a comfortable porch. The bricks fit together neatly, unweathered by the salt air. The house had its own poetic faculty in its isolation, the defiance in which it stood, yellow light shining from windows against the setting sun, the ocean at its perimeter down below. They pulled up the car alongside it, and Mei leaped out of the backseat. She ran towards the two figures emerging from the front door, the long grass pulling at her ankles, her backpack thudding against her stride.

"Uncle Tsukki!"

She flung her arms around him, barely tall enough to reach the man's waist. The lanky man made a small noise at the quick impact, but recovered, giving her a small pat, "Hello, Mei." She released him, grinning a missing tooth grin, turning to the other man in the chair. Mei stood up on her tiptoes, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "Hi, hi Uncle Ta-da-shi!"

Yamaguchi stared forward, his eyes a bit glassy and blank, but Mei simply darted past into the house. Kuroo locked the car, walking over with Kenma. "Hey Glasses, hey Yamaguchi." Tsukishima gazed fondly at his old friend, "She's gotten so much taller."

Kuroo whistled, "She's going to be the best middle blocker in Japan. We've been doing some tosses in the backyard."

Kenma grinned, "After our trip out here, she's going to do a kid's summer training camp."

Tsukishima stepped aside so the two men could follow their daughter into the house, "You should send her to Karasuno for high school, I hear from Kageyama they're still a powerhouse."

"Nah, nah, if she's going to do volleyball, it's Nekoma's girl's team or nothing-"

"Oh, but didn't we beat you at-"

"We're not doing this again.", Kenma grumbled with finality he pulled Kuroo inside. Tsukishima grinned, taking the handles of Yamaguchi's wheelchair, pushing him after their guests.

They passed around memories over dinner. Stories swirled like the water on the rocks down below. Each wonderful day, the promotions and celebrations, the progress of their chosen family. The walls of the small home bounced back their laughter, the echo of time. The men at the table knew more than anyone how crucial every moment of life was, how important is was to be able to look back, to share, to reminisce and cherish. Mei sat amongst them, happily pushing around vegetables on her plate, confused but pleased to hear tales of a time before her own memory.