Tsukishima was speechless when Akane finished her story. His mind could not fathom the pain and fear she has over a simple natural phenomenon, not to mention that she holds not just one death over it but two.
He wordlessly embraced the girl, who surrendered willfully in his arms. Her silent cries wrecked throughout her body. It trembled with every intake of breath and each sobs came in waves.
When another roll of thunder came, Akane did not hold back and cried out loud into Tsukishima's chest. The latter felt his own heart shatter at the sound and could only tighten his hold in response. There was no other word that could calm her down and he knows that. There was no point in trying to talk with and to her.
All that is left for him to do is to allow her.
Allow her to cry out the years that she had endured in destiny's unfortunate hands.
A familiar rumble of a car brought Tsukishima out of his thoughts. He saw Akiteru from across the road.
The golden-haired lad took one look at Tsukishima and at the female in his arms. There was a question mark over his mind but he sorted to ask about it later.
"I will find a U-turn slot, I'll get to you there." He yelled with his window slightly down then sped away.
Tsukishima noticed Akane stop crying and looked at her face. Her eyes were swelling red and her nose blotched. She was trying to sit up on her own and Tsukishima allowed her to move in fear of scaring her off.
"My brother's here. We can rest for a while at home and then take you back to coach until the road is safe enough for driving." Tsukishima said and Akane numbly nodded.
She had succumbed to her own mind again and forgot that she was making Keishin worried, again. She internally scolded herself but Tsukishima caught her furrowing her brows.
He held her cold face and swept away strands of her hair. Then, he said, "If you will continue to beat yourself for shedding some of your burden, it will only worry us more. There is nothing wrong with letting go of some baggage that's wearing you down."
Akane tilted her head slightly, his words sank deep in her mind. She replied, "You speak as if you actually share stuff too."
Tsukishima's serious face lightened to a small smile. She's talking back and it's a good thing. He saw a blue car stop by the sidewalk, its headlights blinking in hazard mode.
"Come on in, Kei!" Akiteru called out.
Akane looked at him and then back to Tsukishima who was already standing up. To her, they bear both resemblance and opposites of each other.
Tsukishima held an open hand out and Akane accepted as he led her inside the car. Tsukishima sat beside her and never did he let go of her hand. Akane did not seem to mind.
"Friend?" Akiteru smiled at them through the rearview mirror.
"None of your business." Tsukishima frowned.
Akane looked at the person beside him and saw the gentle eyes he had despite talking in a cold tone. She reached out a hand to Akiteru and introduced herself.
"Sato Akane, friend." She tried to smile cheerfully but her eyes betrayed her.
Akiteru caught it and patted her head instead. He replied, "Nice to see another friend of Kei's. I'm his older brother, Akiteru. It is nice to meet you, Akane-san."
Lightning flashed and Akane flinched right back into Tsukishima's arms. Akiteru raised his brows at the action but started to drive anyway.
His little brother is not so young anymore.
Tsukishima bent a bit to rummage through his bag but then another series of thunders roared at the sky. He quickly fished out his headphones and shoved it on to Akane. He picked out a soothing playlist for her and settled comfortably.
Akiteru smiled, seeing everything from the mirror. Tsukishima caught him and though he was blushing, he managed to give him a cold statement, "Stop smiling like that. I'm a good person, too, you know."
Akiteru laughed, "Yeah, yeah."
Akane closed her eyes at the comfort of Tsukishima's warmth and his music drowning the outside world. He look at her and spoke almost to himself.
"I'm a good person, shortcake."
The rain continued to pour hard and there was no sign of it clearing up so soon. They all reached the Tsukishima residence but Akane was too deep in her sleep so Tsukishima had to pick her up.
"Welcome-- oh?"
"Kei's friend, mother. She's had a bout of crying and I think she can rest here for a while." Akiteru spoke to his mother.
The woman took a lingering look at the girl in her younger son's arms. Then she looked up strictly to Tsukishima and said, "You better not be the reason she's crying hard, Kei."
Tsukishima was taken aback and Akiteru only laughed.
"Y-yes, ma. I'll take her upstairs... May I ask for your help to change her into dry clothes?" Tsukishima asked with a deep shade on her cheeks. Apparently, asking the question to his mother was heavier than having to carry Akane.
"Sure, dear. Akiteru, please watch over the soup." Their mother replied and took off her apron.
Tsukishima placed Akane softly on his bed and grabbed his own set of clothes before walking out to leave the space for privacy. He took a bath from the bathroom downstairs and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Then he went to the kitchen so he can take place with Akiteru.
"So... Akane-san..." Akiteru spoke quietly upon smelling the fresh scent of soap from Tsukishima. He whipped around, waving a ladle, "Who is she really, Kei-kun?"
Tsukishima ignored him and grabbed the ladle instead. He stirred the boiling soup. Akiteru pouted and sulked.
"Take a bath and change to dry clothes, onii-san." Tsukishima said.
Akiteru puffed his chest and crossed over his arms, "Not until you tell me more about her. Is she a girlfriend of one of your team member? Is she single? She's really cute, though."
Akiteru smirked seeing Tsukishima freeze on the spot. He wiped it away when his younger turned slowly to face him with a dark look on his face.
"She is not to be harmed. Whatever joke you're making up, keep it in your head."
Akiteru raised his hands, "Okay, okay! The weather's cold enough, you don't need to add to it."
But Akiteru was not quite done teasing the younger lad. He approached him and whispered,
"When are you going to tell her about your feelings, Kei-kun?"
Tsukishima gave him an annoyed look before focusing back to the soup.
YOU ARE READING
Moonlight
Hayran Kurgu[Tsukishima Kei fanfiction] With her haunted past, she tried to get back to society. With his cold demeanor, he tried to help her. Wrapped up in a story that is both cliche and not, get to know Akane and Kei.
