Let Me Save You //KuroTsuki// ONESHOT

Let Me Save You

    "God I'm so fucking tired."

    Tsukishima sighed angrily as he wiped his forehead with a towel. Yamaguchi chuckled.
    "You always say that, Tsukki."
    "And I always mean it."
    Yamaguchi rolled his eyes and laughed. He knew that they were all equally tired, though not everyone was as blunt about it as the blonde middle blocker. Karasuno had been lucky enough to be able to attend Golden Week thanks to Coach Nekomata of Nekoma High. Tsukishima, however, was anything but thrilled. He watched as Hinata bounced up and down while talking to Nekoma's setter, Kenma. He could never understand where all that positivity came from.
    Kuroo glanced over at the tall male, squinting his eyes in interest and disapproval. He felt something off about the blonde, but he couldn't pinpoint why. He watched as Tsukishima argued playfully with his friend. But when Yamaguchi lifted a hand to high-five his best friend, however, Tsukishima flinched. Kuroo's throat felt dry.
    "What the hell?..." he asked himself under his breath, "why did he flinch like that, is he ok? It was just a high five..."
    Tsukishima eventually looked as though he had reached his limit, so he grabbed his bag and took it to the bathroom to change into dry clothes. He never once changed in front of his team, leading to them having their suspicions. Karasuno gave him his space, however, and didn't pry on the subject. Tsukishima was grateful for that. He pulled off his shirt, staring at himself in the mirror with disgust. He scanned up and down his torso, taking in every inch of tainted, scarred flesh. Out of everything he hated in this stupid world, he hated his body the most. He traced his fingers down a particularly nasty scar, grimacing at the sight. He hadn't realized how long he had been standing shirtless in front of the mirror until he heard the doorknob click. Fuck. He forgot to lock the door. He cleared his throat and sighed.
    "Oi, could you not?"
    "Ah, my bad Tsukishima. I just came to say your team is looking for you."
    Tsukishima took a moment to think about who was speaking, before concluding it was none other than Kuroo. He scoffed and pulled on a clean shirt, picked up his bag, and walked out of the bathroom, causing Kuroo to stumble.
    "Uh, you're welcome, I guess?..."
    Tsukishima held up a hand dismissively, walking away without saying a word. Kuroo observed the male from behind, noticing a small bruise on the back of his neck. It didn't look like anything that he could've gotten during practice...
'Could it be?... Nah, there's no way... unless. Gah, I shouldn't jump to conclusions...'
He kept his mouth shut, not wanting to alarm the male in case his suspicion was correct. He reluctantly walked away. He didn't like this feeling in his gut.
                            .
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                            .
    It was day 2 of the Golden Week training camp. Tsukishima was talking with Akaashi by the water fountain about a few Netflix shows they liked, whilst the rest of the teams did their own thing. Kuroo couldn't help but glance over at Tsukishima from time to time, wondering what it was he saw yesterday. He could see faint marks across his arms.
    "Am I the only one that sees this?..." he mumbled to himself.
    He felt himself blush at the sight of the blonde's soft smile, but it felt off. He continued to practice, keeping an eye on Tsukishima.
    Tsukishima walked up to Coach Ukai, exchanging a few inaudible words before leaving. Kuroo couldn't help but feel sick... he had a bad feeling. He set down his water bottle and attempted to catch up to him, breaking out into a sprint as he left his peer's line of sight. He watched the blonde walk into a bathroom and knew this was his chance. He knocked on the door, trying to keep his cool.
    "Oi, you ok, dude?"
    Kuroo swore he heard his breath hitch.
    "Yes, I'm fine, Kuroo~san. Did you need something?"
    "Yea. I just have a question. I'm coming in."
    Tsukishima began to panic.
    "W-Wait don't come i-"
    Kuroo walked into the bathroom forcefully, determined to get to the bottom of the feeling in his gut. He had no clue what he was getting himself into... Kuroo stood in the doorway, mouth ever so slightly ajar as he stared at the male before him. He was... covered in bruises and scars. Dark, yellow, and green bruises littered his torso and thighs, while a nasty scar stretched from his left collarbone to his right hip. His smooth, pale skin was destroyed.
    "Wha- What the hell...?"
    Tsukishima took a step back as he stared at the raven-haired male. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come out.
    "T-Tsukishima?..."
    Kuroo held a hand out for him, but the blonde flinched. Kuroo's heart shattered at the terrified look in the middle blocker's eyes. He took a deep breath and calmed down.
    "I'm not gonna hurt you, Tsukishima. It's ok, you're ok now... Am I allowed to come closer?
    Tsukishima felt weakened at the male's words. Kuroo was being genuine... Something deep in his gut told him that Kuroo was safe. He restored his stone-cold expression and nodded. Kuroo was cautious in his approach, but he was eventually just close enough to touch him. He slowly went to hold his shoulder, watching as the blonde flinched once again. Kuroo reassured him that he was ok, before enveloping him into a hug. Tsukishima froze. Without warning, he began to silently cry. He gripped onto the ravenette's shirt and cried.
    Kuroo held the taller male close as he let him cry. He gently held the back of the male's head as he comforted him. He stayed still and silent. After a few minutes, Tsukishima had finally calmed down.
    "I know you and I don't know each other too well, but could you tell me what happened to you?..."
    Tsukishima refused to meet his eyes as he rested in the ravenette's arms, not having the energy to move.
    "Home."
    "Pardon?"
    "My father did this."
    Kuroo's throat went dry, he could still feel the blonde trembling. He took a deep breath and met his eyes.
    "You are coming home with me after camp, got it? There's no way in hell I'm letting you go home."
    "I- the fuck?! No! If I get caught... I..."
    "Please... I can't let you keep getting hurt like that!"
    "Why the fuck do you even care? It's not like we're friends. You'll just get hurt."
    Kuroo paused. Tsukishima had a point, why DID he care? As he said, they aren't even friends. He looked at the blonde as he stood up and pulled on a shirt.
    "Look, Kuroo~san... I appreciate the offer but I just can't. I can't risk anyone else getting hurt at my expense. My brother and my mom already tried playing hero and it didn't end well so please, don't try."
    Kuroo watched as Tsukishima left for the Karasuno dorm without another word. Kuroo was the only one who knew. He wasn't going to back down, he had a mission now; to be there for him.
.
.
.
    It was the third day of training camp. The weather outside was scorching hot, although the sky was filled with clouds. Kuroo walked up to the lanky male with his usual Cheshire smile. He stretched his arm over his chest as he stood across from the now annoyed first-year.
    "Tsukki, come hang out with me after training today."
    "Hell no."
    Kenma chuckled at the instant rejection.
    "Awe c'mon, why not? Just for a bit?"
    "I said no. I know what you're doing so just stop, ok?"
    Tsukishima shoved past the feline captain, walking over to the court and joining the game. Kuroo watched in defeat as Tsukishima blocked Bokuto's spike, effectively slamming it back into the floor. This was gonna be a lot harder than he thought. He sighed and joined his team back on the court against Shinzen High. He asked several more times throughout the day at any chance he got, until finally after practice, he managed to succeed.
    "I know I'm probably annoying you by now, but if you could just-"
    "Fine."
    Kuroo was caught off guard.
    "I beg your pardon?"
    "I said fine, I'll hang out with you."
    "O-oh! Well, damn, I didn't expect you to agree."
    "It's just so you'll shut the fuck up."
    "Seesh, so vulgar, Tsukki!"
    "Urusai."
    Kuroo laughed out loud, catching the blonde off guard. A soft hue of pink dusted across his cheeks as he listened to the older male's unique laughter. It wasn't pretty by any means, but it was real and whole. He liked that.
    Kuroo led Tsukishima along the streets of Tokyo, showing him around and taking him to all his favorite places. One of their stops included the zoo, which to Kuroo's surprise, ended up with Tsukishima impulsively dragging him to the reptile's exhibit. Tsukishima's blank expression shifted slightly into a smile as he began talking about the different types of lizards and snakes. Kuroo's heart was beating out of his chest seeing the salty male smile. He let the blonde ramble on and on until eventually, they found themselves sitting at a picnic table eating ice cream.
    Tsukishima licked his strawberry ice cream in peace as he looked over at Kuroo, who bit his vanilla bean.
    "Wtf..."
    "What?"
    "You sir, are very strange. Biting ice cream?"
    "Oh shush!"
    Tsukishima chuckled as Kuroo's ice cream dripped down his hand. Kuroo cursed as he attempted to clean it up (he failed). Tsukishima bit the inside of his cheek as he leaned over the table and wiped a bit of ice cream off of Kuroo's cheek with a napkin.
    "So messy..."
    Kuroo felt an arrow pang through his heart at the small gesture, especially since the blonde had then attempted to hide his blush. As they left the zoo, they made general small talk (mostly petty arguments about dumb shit). Tsukishima smiled softly as Kuroo laughed. He had noticed throughout the evening that Kuroo had been respecting his personal space. He never made any sudden movements and keep a respectable distance from him. He was thankful for that...
    "Kuroo~san. I can't believe I'm about to say this but... if you really want to be friends with me you can't tell anyone about my situation, got it?"
    "Of course, Tsukki, I won't tell a soul."
    Maybe, just maybe... he disliked him just a bit less.
                            .
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                            .
    Day 4 of the training camp had rolled 'round and Tsukishima was in a better mood than usual, although Yamaguchi and Kuroo seemed to be the only ones who noticed. He even managed to crack a small smile at Yamaguchi's joke, a genuine smile instead of one of sarcasm. Daichi, while putting away a few unused volleyballs, noticed Kuroo glancing at the blonde male. He walked over to the bedheaded male with an eyebrow raised.
    "Kuroo~san, wanna explain why you've been looking at our first-year?"
    Kuroo practically jumped out of his skin at the sudden boom of the Karasuno team captain sneaking up behind him.
    "For fuck's sake, Daichi! You scared the hell outta me!"
    Daichi laughed and served the ball in his hands to Noya, who beamed and bumped it to Asahi to spike. He then turned back to Kuroo.
    "Sorry I scared you, but seriously, what's up with you? Don't think I haven't noticed you staring at Tsukishima all day."
    "Was I that obvious? Sorry, I'm not sure what's gotten into me lately."
    "Forgive me for being a bit nosy, but is it possible you may like Tsukishima? It's just a guess based on how you've been staring at him."
    "H-Ha?! No no, it's nothing like that! I think? I don't know."
    "Tsukishima may only be the first year, but I can tell that getting on his good side is rather difficult. I'd say be straightforward about it, but maybe do something nice for him."
    "Are you seriously trying to set me up with one of your players?"
    "No, just some advice."
    Daichi placed a hand on the blocker's shoulder and gave him a warm smile.
    "I'm going off what I can see, and I feel like there's something there. Just be honest."
    Kuroo was left stunned as Daichi walked away. Did he like Tsukishima? Well, Daichi said to be honest...
    "Maybe I should say something..." he pondered.
    Just then, Tsukishima (albeit reluctantly and somewhat cautiously) approached Kuroo. He seemed to be fidgeting a lot with his hands, so Kuroo decided to start the conversation.
    "Sup, Tsukki, need something?"
    "Yeah, actually... hanging out with you yesterday wasn't terrible. I wouldn't hate it if we hung out again today..."
    Kuroo blinked in surprise.
    "Yeah, sure thing. I'm down, did you have something in mind?"
    "I do, kinda yea."
    "I look forward to it, Kei."
    Tsukishima swore to every star in the sky his heart had exploded out of his chest. Not even Yamaguchi used his first name, so hearing anyone besides family saying it was new to him. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down.
    "Idiot..."
    Kuroo smiled softly.
    "I know, I'll see you after practice."
    And with that, Kuroo left.
                        .
                        .
                        .
    Later that afternoon, Kuroo jogged up to the blonde with a smile. The air was cool and crisp, nipping
against their skin with ill intent.
    "Hey, Tsukishima! Hope you didn't wait long."
    "Nah, you're fine. Let's just go."
    They walked along the streets once again, making small conversation as they went. Neither of them had a plan (Tsukishima just wanted to find an excuse to hang out with Kuroo) so they just went with the flow. As they walked, it dawned on Tsukishima he would have to go home tomorrow evening. He felt his blood run cold at the thought of going back to that place. As much as he didn't like training, this camp was his way of getting out of the house. He looked over at Kuroo, who seemed to also be lost in thought, quietly lacing his fingers with the older male's, who didn't seem to mind. He thought about what Kuroo had said at the start of the camp, about his offer to go live with him and his parents. He was scared, but Kuroo didn't seem all that bad, maybe it would be alright. With a deep breath, he decided to bite the bullet and ask.
    "Hey, Kuroo? Were you serious about letting me live with you?"
    "Huh? Of course, I was serious! Tsukki your dad literally beats you."
    "I know but... I'd just cause you trouble."
    Kuroo stopped and faced the four-eyed male.
    "Kei... I offered it because I know that I'd be fine with it. Please don't think like that..."
    (TW: tic attack, based on my own experiences.)
    Tsukishima began to twitch slightly, catching Kuroo's attention. As he tried to form words, his neck jerked to the side with a loud crack, causing Kuroo to flinch. He began to shake as he jerked to the side over and over, progressively panicking more at the thought of his dad's fist being raised above him. He began to hyperventilate as he dropped to his knees, small sounds escaping his lips as tears began to form. He never wanted anyone to see this. Not even Yamaguchi had seen it happen. The feeling of vulnerability swallowed his rationality as it got worse, convincing him that Kuroo would leave. But to his shock, he didn't.
    Kuroo was equally panicked, never having seen or dealt with this before. He knew about these sorts of attacks but he had no idea what to do about it, so he improvised. He dropped down to his knees on the cold, empty sidewalk and grabbed the taller boy's wrists. He looked him in the eyes as he held Tsukishima's wrists out beside him to prevent him from hurting himself. He winced as Tsukishima accidentally overpowered the male's grip and hit him in the chest, but he held strong. He slowly pulled the blonde forward, resting his head on his chest.
    "Breathe, Kei... It's ok. It's gonna be ok. You can relax here."
    Tsukishima could feel himself calming down upon hearing the older male's cool, low voice. The twitching began to slow as Kuroo pulled him closer, trying to signal that he was ok. His thoughts began to clear as he listened to the slow heartbeat of the ravenette. Soon, he had finally gone limp, telling Kuroo that he had worn himself out.
    (TW over)
    "There ya go... easy does it..."
    Tsukishima was breathing heavily as he rested in the older's arms. Kuroo couldn't help but hug the boy, although he was surprised when Tsukishima hugged him back.
    "How are your wounds?"
    "Better... and thank you."
    "Of course, Tsukki you don't have to keep up that blunt, salty front. Just be you."
    Tsukishima nodded slowly as he glanced to the side. His eyes widened when he realized he was looking at a toy shop. The stuffed dinosaurs in the window had caught his attention. Kuroo turned his head to see what Tsukishima was looking at and laughed when he did.
    "Do you want one?"
    Kuroo would give everything he had for the galaxy in Tsukishima's eyes to stay forever. He helped the male to his feet as they walked over to the shop. Tsukishima picked up a mint green Brachiosaurus with stars in his eyes as he showed it to Kuroo. Kuroo laughed and silently bought it for him.
    "Say, what do you say we skip camp tomorrow?"
    "Wait, seriously? Why?"
    "Well, yea. You look like you need a break."
    Tsukishima thought about it for a moment before sighing, holding the dinosaur under his arm in defeat.
    "Fine, I'm guessing we are going to your house?"
    "Yep!"
    And with that being said, they were off. One short bus ride later as they were at Kuroo's doorstep. As Kuroo quietly unlocked the front door as to not wake up his parents, he led Tsukishima upstairs. They walked into Kuroo's room and shut the door behind them.
    "Ok, so welcome to my house. My parent's room is downstairs and they tend to leave kinda early in the morning for work so we should be fine."
    "Hm... it's a nice place..."
    "Heh, thanks."
    Tsukishima sat on the bed as Kuroo threw him a shirt. Tsukishima bit his lip as he pulled off the one he was wearing, exposing his demolished torso. Kuroo frowned at the sight, taking off his shirt as he sat beside him.
    "You don't have to look at me like that, Kuroo."
    "I know, I know. Sorry."
    Tsukishima looked down at his scarred hands, particularly the one in the center of his palm from where his father had stabbed him while protecting his mother. Kuroo gently took his hand and kissed the scar. Tsukishima blushed softly as he met Kuroo's gaze. For some reason, neither of them could think. They were no longer in control of their bodies as Kuroo's hand cupped Tsukishima's face. He gently pulled him closer as Tsukishima responded, connecting their lips at last. They felt everything and nothing as Kuroo's tongue wandered around the taller male's mouth. Tsukishima impulsively wrapped his arms around the ravenette's neck as he deepened the kiss. Kuroo began to lean forward, hovering slightly above Tsukishima as they ventured further onto the bed. A new and strange feeling of warmth filled the blonde's senses as he ran his disheveled finger's through Kuroo's hair, with Kuroo's hands holding his waist. Hesitantly, they slowly broke the kiss, panting and relaxing their bodies. Neither of them said anything, they just allowed their eyes to wander each other's bodies in silence. Kuroo laid next to the younger male as he softly kisses his temple. Tsukishima twirled a piece of his hair as they stared into each other's golden eyes. It wasn't long before Tsukishima fell asleep, prompting Kuroo to whisper something he hoped the blonde wouldn't hear.
    "I think I love you, Kei..."
    He heard.
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                            .
    Upon waking up the next morning, day 5 of the camp, there was a loud banging on the front door. Kuroo groaned and opened his eyes, realizing that the bruised blonde was sound asleep in his arms. He smiled softly and slithered away, pulling on a clean shirt as he walked downstairs. His parents weren't home.
    "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. Calm your tits pal."
    Upon opening the door, he was met with a fist to the face. Blood poured from his nose as he stumbled back.
    "Ex- fucking-scuse me?! Who the hell do you think you are?!"
    A tall, blonde man in his late 30s loomed over him. Kuroo's blood ran cold.
    "M-Mr. Tsukishima?"
    "That is correct. I have tracked my son's phone to this location, and I would appreciate it if you would move aside so I can get him."
    "First of all, fuck you! You don't just knock on my door and then break my nose! And second, hell no, get lost!"
    Mr. Tsukishima didn't like that at all. He grabbed Kuroo by the shirt and threw him into the coffee table, shattering the glass top. Shards of glass stuck into his arms and legs as he groaned, looking up to see the man running upstairs. He freaked and yelled out.
    "KEI! KEI RUN!"
    Tsukishima shifted in bed and sat up, hearing the crash downstairs before hearing Kuroo's voice telling him to run. He stood up and looked at the door, which slammed open without warning. He froze.
    "Shit, shit, shit..."
    Kuroo swore downstairs. He clicked his power button 5 times and slid the S.O.S alert on his screen to alert the cops before running full sprint up the stairs. When he got to his room, he didn't have time to process the situation and he saw Tsukishima on the floor, with his father looming over him. Without thinking, he picked up his desk chair and cracked it over the man's back. He grabbed his shirt and threw him to the side, kneeling beside Tsukishima.
    "Kei! Kei can you hear me?!"
    "Y-Yeah... shit, KUROO BEHIND YOU!"
    Kuroo spun around instantly, being met once again with the man's fist. He was pissed now, grabbing Mr. Tsukishima's shirt and punching him in the jaw. He dodged the next shot and slammed his forehead into the man's sending him staggering out of the room. Once in the hallway, Kuroo wiped his bloody lip and managed to kick him square in the chest, sending him flying down the stairs. Just then, the cops kicked the door in to see Mr. Tsukishima lying at their feet, and two bloody and beaten teenagers at the top of the stairs as Kuroo helped Tsukishima stand.
    It didn't take long for the news to spread to their teammates. Everyone was horrified that they had no idea about the abuse. Tsukishima reassured everyone that he was fine, however, not once letting his guard down. Kuroo laced his fingers with Tsukishima's quietly as they were questioned by the cops.
    Having nowhere else to go, Kuroo's parents agreed to take Tsukishima in. They were thrilled to learn that they were now official, and were more than happy to allow him to live there.
    That night, Kuroo held Tsukishima's waist from behind as Star Shopping by Lil Peep played softly on the t.v. You could tell the blonde was nervous about having someone behind him, but strangely enough, he trusted Kuroo. The ravenette rested his lips against the back of his neck and smiled, causing the blonde to smile too. Kuroo sang along softly in Tsukishima's ear.

    "Look at the sky tonight... all of the stars have a reason..."

Fin.~
3948 words.