The Way the Moon Saved the Sun

Tsukishima Kei.
22.
195cm.
College senior.
Middle blocker.
Dinosaur enthusiast.

Tsukishima Kei was someone who most people would describe as cold or even mean. It wasn't that he was particularly hurt by these comments. But it was hard to explain how they made him feel. His cold and calculated demeanor was nothing more than a layer to who he was. It's a carefully crafted facade designed to keep out people who could hurt him. Of course not all of it was fake. He didn't have a tolerance for liars or stupidity. Ignorance, especially willful ignorance, was something he couldn't tolerate. But he wasn't mean.

Tsukishima was brash, and curt. Blunt to a fault. That caused him a lot of trouble melding with his teammates throughout his years playing Volleyball. His height and analytic mind kept him as a starting middle black from his first year in high school until he made it to the pros.

But if he's honest with himself he wouldn't have kept it up if it wasn't for his first year of volleyball at the once legendary Karasuno High. He had a sort of paved road for him. He could allow himself to be calm, no one ever really challenged him because he was "mean". His height and analytical mind were an advantage on the court, but a weakness in life. And the so, by the time he stepped on the court he had developed the facade of the "cold and mean Tsukishima" who's only friend was a timid green tone headed freckle faced boy named Yamaguchi Tadashi. The only one he was ever kind to.

Tsukishima tried not to think of who he was before Karasuno. Sometimes though the memories come forward.

***
Tsukishima had just finished his classes for the day and was walking to his apartment. He was tired and exhausted from his day and ready for bed. He walked into the small loft and threw the keys onto the table when he saw an envelope with his name on it. Inside was a piece of folded cardstock. On the outside was a picture of a volleyball with a bowtie and inside was a note.

"Thank you, Tsukki. Without you, this day would never arrive. Please do me the immense honor of being my best man."

***

"Yo! Shrimpy!" Tsukishima typed into his flip phone. "Not that I care, but why were you wearing a hoodie today? It was hot as fuck!"

"Just cold, ig."

"Don't get a heat stroke. We have an important game next week."

Tsukishima honestly didn't care about the game, but he was slightly, barely, only a little bit, concerned about Karasuno High's other middle blocker. Something had been off about him for the last few weeks. He'd been wearing his jacket more and even started changing away from the rest of the team.

Tsukishima knew something was wrong, but he didn't want to draw attention to the fact that he might, possibly, care about anything.

"Yams." Tsukishima spoke into the receiving end of his phone. "Come over."

"Okay Tsukki! Be there in a few! I'm at Coach's store with Hinata, but we're leaving now."

"Um. Okay. Yeah. Hey. Does Hinata seem okay?"

"Yeah. I mean. Uh. I'll tell you when I get there." Yamaguchi's voice dropped to a rough whisper.

Tsukishima could hear laughing from the other side before hanging up the call.

When Yamaguchi arrived he handed Tsukishima a meat bun. "Diachi showed you right before we left and bought us meat buns. I told him I was coming here so he bought one for you too. You better tell him thanks at practice tomorrow!"

"I will. Thank you for bringing it." Tsukishima answered. "Now. About Hinata?"

"He was still wearing long sleeves. And when Kageyama put his arm around him, Hinata winced like he was hurt. He said it was muscle strain and when Kageyama offered to give him a massage. He quickly said no thank you and left." Yamaguchi reported. "Why? Why do you have me watching him?"