Haikyuu! Striking Thoughts

Victory

🏐

He went to Karasuno around the time when their volleybal club was still as powerful as it could be. Around their golden ages. Their golden era. Akiteru hoped to take part of it and you of all people knew just how much he perservered. Since middle school you've been there for him. You couldn't count the times he's told you stories about Karasuno, how he'd get in there, his dreams and even bigger goals. The genuine smile across his face made it even better. Time flew. Akiteru managed to get into his dream school and volleyball club. He worked harder. Pushed harder. He'd come home optimistic of the trainings that transpired. It went like that until something in him changed, or rather something made him change. The oldest of the Tsukishima brothers stopped smiling, stopped talking about his days. You had a feeling then. You didn't know it was actually true until one night, he came to your house extremely late. He looked fine, but his eyes betrayed the happy expression he's putting up in front of you. "You cried, didn't you?," straightforward you asked. You saw past his smile, all those white lies he wanted to believe. You understood. Unfortunate stuff happen in life. And it's okay. Akiteru meets your gaze, tears once again pooling at his eyes. "I'm a failure," he weeps in your arms. No. The fact that he accepted the situation was victory alone.