Under the Stars

Chapter #4: Everything Isn't Meant to be Okay

Karasuno ends up losing 19-24, and they perform their final penalty lap of the day. Tsukishima practically collapses on the court once he enters the gym, desperately trying to regain his breath. He closes his eyes for a moment, and he feels something brush up against his arm. He opens his eyes to see Yamaguchi standing over him with a small smile.

"Hey, I take it you're feeling better?" Tsukishima asks.

Yamaguchi nods a bit vigorously, "Yep, I'm not bleeding, but my skin is sore from where it rubbed against the floor."

"Well, that's not great but it could be worse, I guess."

Just as Yamaguchi opens his mouth to respond, Kuroo and Bokuto enter the gym. Tsukishima groans, knowing that they are here to ask him to partake in more of their blocking practice. He hurriedly gets up to grab his stuff, but Bokuto runs up and taps him on the shoulder and, as expected, asks him to train with them again. Tsukishima declines his offer, and leaves the gym.

Bokuto simply shrugs and walks off, Yamaguchi feels slightly disappointed, but beside him, Hinata looks as if he could explode at any moment.

"What a waste!" he yells to nobody in particular as he turns to grab a volleyball from the bin.

Yamaguchi's curiosity gets the better of him, and he follows, "What do you mean by that?" he asks.

Hinata exhales loudly, "The ace of a powerhouse school just asked him if he could join him in practice, and he just turned him down without a second thought."

The two fall silent and Tadashi thinks about how his best friend has been acting recently. He has been isolating himself from the rest of the team, and has no desire to improve. It makes him angry, how little Tsukishima wants to participate, how he grumbles when their training is increased, how he sees it as 'just a club'. He acts like the team has no meaning to him.

Yamaguchi is the one to break the silence, "If you could say anything to Tsukki right now, what would you say?" he asks.

Hinata thinks for a moment before responding, "I'd tell him that he's so lucky, and he doesn't even know it." Yamaguchi cocks his head, confused yet intrigued, and Hinata continues.

"He's nearly 6'3", he's got so much height to work with and yet he just wastes it. If I were that tall, I could do anything, and he can do anything if he just tries. A powerhouse school ace just came up to him and asked if he specifically would come and train with him, and he just said no! He needs to know how lucky he is, and take the opportunities that come his way."

Yamaguchi's mouth forms a line, and he thinks about what he's just heard. Hinata's words have fueled a fire inside him, and anger begins to take root. He's completely right about everything. About how Tsukishima's so lucky for being as tall as he is, how he's been welcomed by a powerhouse school ace to train with him, how he needs to work harder. I guess it wasn't just me, he thinks.

"What about you? What would you want to say to him?" Hinata asks.

Yamaguchi thinks for a moment, then looks to Hinata and lets his thoughts flow.

***

Tsukishima walks along the cement path, eager to check in for the night. It's quiet and still, just like the night before. The familiar sounds of squeaking of shoes against hardwood and cheers spill out of the gymnasiums. Yet again, he seems to be the only one who isn't participating in after hours practice.

He quickens his pace when passing the gym where Kuroo and Bokuto are practicing, trying to avoid being spotted. Akaashi's with them, as well as a few other players from Nekoma that he doesn't recognize. They seem to be enjoying themselves, and Tsukishima wonders again why they wanted him specifically. Why would they want to help somebody who wasn't on their team? If anything, they are just giving the enemy the skills that they need to defeat them. Isn't the point to win and be better than everyone else? he asks himself. To avoid the pain that comes with defeat?