Through It All (LevYaku fanfic)

Prologue

Crazy how time flies. It was like yesterday when Yaku Morisuke–still young, still naive–took his first step into the grounds of his dream high school, Nekoma High School. The memory was as the day it had happened. It's like it was only yesterday when he met Kuroo Tetsuro–tall and proud rooster-head–who became his friend and enemy for three years, at the volleyball court and bickered with the brat about all sorts of things. They literally fought about everything; anything about girls to anything about food; from clothes to shoes. After all, they were polar opposites. Morisuke loved eating meat, Kuroo loved eating fish. Morisuke was short, Kuroo was tall.

It was only yesterday. Three years were not supposed to fly so fast. Three years were not enough. Not quite long enough. He wanted to play more volleyball with his team. He wanted to receive more balls spiked by well-known spikers from all over the country. He wanted to take on more challenges and meet new foes. He longed to create more friendships like those that Nekoma High School shared Karasuno High School. He was not yet prepared to leave Kenma–no matter how cringe-y it is to watch him and Kuroo flirt–and the team. He was not yet prepared to leave... him.

Morisuke--5-foot-6 in height, hair brown and cut almost too close to the scalp, and skin a bit tanned from all the time he spent outside--took a shaky breath as he slid the doors to the gym and was welcomed by the familiar scent of floor wax and Air Salonpas... and by silence. It seems that the players were asked to go home early this time. His home for the past three years took him in with open arms, an embrace for the sole soul in the gym, one last time before he moved to the real world... Before he starts his education to become a teacher. This is it. The end. Tears blurred his vision before they flowed silently down his face. His vision may have impaired slightly but he stepped forward, taking one last time, one last moment, to enjoy this environment. Taking his time to appreciate the youth that he had here, the memories he shared with his whole team, and the connections he had created. He was no genius but he knew he added life to the team. Honor and pride made him grin despite the tears and the heartbreak.

Before the ceremony, Lev had asked to be the one to pin the flowers to Yaku-san's blazer. Kenma had begrudgingly pinned the flowers to Kuroo's blazer. Lev managed to stay composed while watching the graduation ceremony. He wanted to show his senpais that he was proud and that the team would be left in strong hands. After, he watched Kuroo run cooing toward Kenma. Lev would congratulate him after he found Yaku-san, but when he couldn't find Yaku-san to tell him... he didn't even know. Congratulations? Well done? I'm happy I know you... I'll miss you...

Not being able to find him, felt like he'd lost him. It made the feeling of abandonment too real. Lev made his way to the quietest spot he could find. He sat, hanging his head in his hands. The deep breath he took released into sobs. He wanted to play once more with his senpais, to be with Yaku-san on the court.

With every step he took towards the center of the court, Morisuke's breath hitched harder until they have become full-on sobs. Oh, gods... This was for real. This was ending. His high school life, his high school volleyball journey (he still plans on playing volleyball even in college), and his young first love. They're all ending. All at once. He will miss Coach Nekomata--his and the team's second father-- Coach Naoi, and the players. The feeling of loss was already huge and it was still growing in size. It left a gaping hole in his chest. How he wished he could hug them before he left. How he wished he could have told them all that he had inside–the pride that grew every day, the joy of having them as friends, and sadness of walking away from the three years' worth of memories. His journey with them was worth every second, every sprain, every sleepless night, every drop of sweat, and every tear. It was all worth it. They were all worth it.