Promise (Tsukiyama)

Mistakes

Tsukishima strolls down the pavement, the rain pounding down on his umbrella. He looks down at his rain-soaked shoes and sighs. Tsukishima Kei isn't good at feelings. Ever since the whole mess of a situation between him and his brother had happened, he gave up on affection and love. After all, no one ever understood him anyway. Well.. no one except for Yamaguchi Tadashi, that is.

From an outside perspective, it was hard to believe that they were best friends. They are quite literally the opposite of each other yet always together somehow. Tsukishima also always told his best friend to shut up all the time, which led to people believing that he didn't care about Yamaguchi. The ironic thing is that it was just the opposite. Tsukishima adored him, and anyone who got to know them knew it. When they had started dating in their third year, no one was that surprised. After all, they were obsessed with each other.

As they wrapped up their time at Karasuno, they vowed to keep their relationship strong, even if they went down different paths later in life. Tsukishima can even recall Yamaguchi, making him promise that no matter what, nothing would change in terms of their relationship, that they would tackle things together as a couple. Of course, he promised. He wishes he never did. If he didn't, it wouldn't have stung so bad when he broke it.

Now, 23 years old, Tsukishima finally reaches his destination. He looks up and is faced with a wooden door. As he reaches forward, he takes a deep breath, and then he lightly knocks on the door three times. When the door swings open, facing him is a tired looking but beautiful Yamaguchi Tadashi. He stares as Tsukishima and blinks for a few seconds in disbelief before his gaze suddenly hardens. He crosses his arms in front of him, "What Tsukishima?"

Tsukishima feels a pain in his chest at the use of his full last name. "I just..um.." he mutters, scratching the back of his head as he thinks.

Yamaguchi rolls his eyes, "Spit it out, or I'm going to bed," he demands, his tone sharp.

"I wanted to see you how you were doing I-"

He is cut off. "Are you kidding me right now? It's been almost 5 years, and you just now decided to check up on me?" Yamaguchi's glare pierces his heart.

"Tadashi, listen to me, please. I didn't mean what I said back then..I made a mistake," Tsukishima pleads, his tone dull, but his eyes swimming with fear and regret.

"Oh, you mean how you left me once you went to play for Sendai because I was apparently holding you back?"

"Tadashi-"

"No! I'm done with this, done with you. I can't do this anymore!"

Tsukishima opens his mouth to speak, but he can't seem to find his voice. "I loved you, Kei, I really did," Yamaguchi starts, his eyes brimming with angry tears, "but then you turned into someone else in college. You started abandoning me way before you even dumped me. You traded me for your new teammates. Y-you said my love was holding you back." Yamaguchi's eyes are now glassy and wide.

Tsukishima reaches out to grab his hand, but he pulls away. "You broke your promise," he says, "and I don't even know if I recognize you anymore."

"Tadashi, please.."

"Goodbye Tsukishima," Yamaguchi says, pulling the door closed, "I'm tired of being hurt."