Jump float serve

Take him home

Terushima walked by Sugawara's side, looking around every now and then. Cold wind chased every last bit of his sleepiness away. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Gym," Sugawara answered shortly, glancing at Terushima. He was constantly checking his phone, most probably waiting for Yamaguchi's reply. Every little sound made boy jerk his head up, eyes sparkling with hope. "Just how close are you to worry this much?" setter muttered quietly to himself and huffed. He gently put a hand on Terushima's shoulder, "we will be there in a second." Boy said, making pauses, trying to calm Johzenji's captain down. Terushima looked at him with a weak smile. He nodded and Sugawara felt boy's body relax under the touch.

As they walked up the gym, a dim light flickered on. Terushima felt his heart racing, while Sugawara checked the doors. Setter pulled on the door handle, but it didn't move. "Closed," he mumbled, "as they should be..." He sighed in frustration.

Boys stood quiet, looking around, when the light switched off. "Are you sure he-" Terushima wanted to ask.

"Shush! He has to be here," Sugawara cut him off. It came out harsher than setter intended it to be, but the other boy didn't seem to bother. Boy moved a little, for the light to turn back on.

Terushima's eyes went darting in every possible direction. Brief hope to catch at least the slightest movement sparkled in them. However unusual quietness of the night made his anxiety strike up even higher. Terushima let out a shaky breath, doubting Sugawara's words. But then a brief shuffling behind the corner of the gym caught his attention. Freckles?! Terushima didn't wait a second before rushing around the corner, leaving Sugawara standing near the gym entry.

"Tadashi!" Terushima called with a trembling voice. He guessed right. Yamaguchi was sitting on the groung, leaning onto the gym wall with his back. Boy's eyes were swollen, cheeks burning and shirt's collar all wet. Yamaguchi was definitely crying a lot. Terushima swallowed hard, his heart aching. He wasn't here. He let this happen. He wasn't fast enough to come. Captain fell on his knees near Yamaguchi, hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry for being late," Terushima whispered. He rushed here as soon as he received Yamaguchi's message, stealing keys from his older sister. However no matter how fast he wanted to get to the camp, there was still an hour of driving. "I'm sorry I let it come to this..." Terushima felt boy's breathing being more or less steady. Too many emotions have eventually tired him out. He was sleeping, but not too deep.

Terushima took off his jacket, covering Yamaguchi's cold shoulders. He felt boy relaxing under the warmth. And where's this damn Tsukishima when his boyfriend is crying?! Terushima grunted and clenched his fists. He hated to see Yamaguchi cry, especially when a certain blonde was the reason for it.

Terushima breathed out, steadying his emotions and focusing on the fragile boy next to him. He gently tugged a couple of wet hair strands behind Yamaguchi's ear. Freckled boy mumbled something quietly, before lazily opening his eyes. "Tadashi," Terushima called, looking boy in the eyes. For a second he saw a spark in them, but then they faded again. He regretted waking him up as soon as he saw tears running down Yamaguchi's cheeks. "Look at me," Terushima cupped boy's face, "I'm here, I'm with you." His voice never sounded softer before. He tenderly stroked Yamaguchi's cheeks with his thumbs, brushing tears away.

Several minutes passed before Yamaguchi seemed to finally calm down. Boy's vision got clearer and breathing measured. He looked at Terushima with his lidded eyes. He stretched his hand to Terushima's cold cheek, giving it a few light strokes. "Yuuji..." boy said quietly with a weak, but warm smile, before completely passing out.

Terushima's heart skipped a beat. He never heard Yamaguchi say his first name. It was too intimate for the freckled boy, even with the closest friends. It was something Terushima hasn't even thought of hearing , not in the nearest future. Even if it slipped off Yamaguchi's lips unconsciously, due to his fatigue, it still made a wave of warm feeling wash over his body. Terushima planted a soft kiss on boy's forehead and gently picked him up.

"So that's how it is," Sugawara's low voice returned boy back to reality.

"I...it's..." Terushima stuttered, but setter didn't let him finish.

"Don't," boy smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I understand."

These few words were enough for Terushima's eyes to glow with gratitude. Setter was watching them all along and chose to keep his distance. He trusted Johzenji's captain to handle the situation. Will you trust me once more? Terushima met Sugawara's eyes, "Can I take him home?" he asked quietly. Please... Boy's sigh dropped to the freckled boy, digging his nose deeper into Terushima's night shirt, "I'm afraid he could caught a cold." He made a pause, before quietly adding, "and...he might need my help..."

Sugawara smiled softly at the now sleeping Yamaguchi and adjusted the jacket, covering freckled boy's shoulder. Yamaguchi's brows furrowed for a second, before he clenched Terushima's shirt. Johzenji's captain didn't hesitate a second. He leaned closer to the boy and whispered something Sugawara couldn't catch. But Yamaguchi visibly relaxed a second after, adjusting himself in Terushima's hands. Yamaguchi needed him and setter perfectly knew it. "Sure," Sugawara finally answered, gently stroking freckled boy's hair, "I'll take care of the rest."

"Thank you, Sugawara," Terushima bowed.

Setter nodded and gave him a warm smile, "It'll be the best for him now." He made a pause, fishing his phone out of the pocket and clicked on the contacts icon. "However," Sugawara continued, "you'll have to keep me updated."

Terushima answered with a nod, before giving his number. Boys exchanged a few more words, before Sugawara went off to get Yamaguchi's belongings. Terushima watched boy disappear around the corner, before slowly making his way to the car. Yamaguchi was still sleeping. He gripped onto Terushima's shirt, which made the older boy calm him down every now and then.

When they finally got to the car, Terushima gently laid Yamaguchi onto the back seats, stroking his back gently. He patiently waited for Sugawara to arrive to take freckled boy's bag. Terushima thanked the setter and placed it onto the front seat. He took a couple of clean shirts from the bag and made a weak excuse of a pillow for Yamaguchi. Should work for now. He sighed and smiled at the boy with eyes full of adoration. Terushima thanked Sugawara again, bowing low, and apologized for the trouble. Captain already started getting into the car, when setter spoke up again.

"You love him, don't you?" Sugawara smiled warmly, looking at boy's stunned expression.

Terushima's cheeks lit up, sight finding it's way to Yamaguchi again. He exhaled deeply, before answering, "I do," eyes still fixated on the sleeping boy. I really do... He knew Yamaguchi had a boyfriend. He knew he's only a friend to the freckled boy. But he could do nothing with his feelings. He will wait as long as he'll have to. A heavy sigh left his lips, "even more than you can imagine," he added quietly.

Sugawara chuckled lovingly, "Figured that much." He turned around on his heels and waved to the captain. "Take a good care of him," setter said, getting a short but assuring 'will do' from Terushima.

Sugawara walked up to the entry doors, glancing at the leaving car. "Maybe, it happened for the better," he mumbled, smiling at it, and came in.