The Man Who Ran Off With The Moon - [ Tsukkiyama Art Thief AU! ]

When Soon Arrives

"DUMBASS, HINATA!"
At the bottom of the hill, Kageyama chased the smaller boy around, trying to swat him with his rolled up diploma. Hinata bounced out of reach, sprinting across the grass, taunting him.

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi watched them from above, sitting side by side at the base of a gnarled cherry blossom tree.
"They haven't really grown up at all, now have they.", Tsukishima muttered.
Yamaguchi looked away, pensive. "I think it's nice. That they are who they are."

Kageyama went to smack Hinata again, who carefully dodged, but slipped and skidded across the grass, landing on his belly. His diploma flew out of his hand, caught by the wind.
"EAHH!"
Kageyama doubled over, laughing, until another gust of wind ripped his own certificate out of his hand. He and Hinata looked at each other, blank faced, until - "GWAAAAHHHH!!"
They charged after their diplomas, sprinting against the breeze.
"GET BACK HERE!"
"Yeah, we need those!"

Tsukishima chuckled as his classmates struggled below. Yamaguchi released a small sigh of a laugh. Strange..
Tsukishima turned, furrowing his brow.
"What?"
"Normally, you would suggest we go help them. And I would say no. Then, you would pester me until I agreed."

Yamaguchi rested his chin on his knees. "They'll be ok. On their own."
Tsukishima shrugged.
"I'm amazed those two idiots managed to get into universities at all."

It was a honey sweet March. The sky was golden and balmy, the grass felt tender. Miyagi was anointed with blues and pinks, colors of blossoms and new beginnings. Their dearest teacher, Takeda, had tearfully remarked that he had never seen a finer day for a graduation.

Tsukishima looked out over the rolling countryside, and though his face did not shift from it's usual mask of disdain, he felt a deep appreciation for the place he called home, for the school that had raised him. He even felt for the two idiots down below, who were currently stacked on top of each other trying to dislodge the runaway diplomas from where they had been snagged in a tree. In a few months time, he would be at university in Tokyo, an exciting land of metal and noise. He knew he could excel even more there.
Still...

"When are you going to tell me what you're going to do now that high school's done?"

He had been pestering Yamaguchi for months. Ever since they were little, they had talked about going to the city together. As their time at Karasuno began to dwindle, Yamaguchi had been evasive in sharing his plans for the future. Tsukishima was waiting, waiting for that "Well, Tsukki! Sorry to keep you waiting, but I'm gonna go work in Tokyo! Right by where you'll be going to school, of course!"

But Yamaguchi had said nothing, conjuring an excuse to leave the conversation every time he was asked. Dread pooled in Tsukishima's stomach.

There's no way we could just separate and say goodbye after all this time. He has to want to come with me, right? Just like we've always talked about.

"You have a plan, right?"

Yamaguchi looked away from him, "I do."

"Then hurry up and tell me already."

Hinata, who had been stacked on top of Kageyama's shoulders, reached too far and tumbled to the ground, taking the black haired boy with him. "STUPID!"

Yamaguchi looked down at his friends flailing on the ground, his eyes filling with glassy tears. "I-I'm really going to miss them."
Tsukishima felt a twinge of annoyance. "Well, you're not saying goodbye forever, so stop acting like it's the end of the world, and tell me what you're going to do."

A smile crept onto Yamaguchi's face, making the freckles on his cheeks leap upwards. He gazed intently at Tsukishima.
"You've always been inpatient, Tsukki."
"No, I haven't."
"You have."

The tone he used was strangely calm, collected. Yamaguchi sounded older. "I know all about patience. Trust me. You don't have it."
"Where's this coming from?"

Now, Tsukishima was annoyed and confused.

Yamaguchi just laughed, his face still a bit wet.
"I'm so proud of you for working so hard to get into your dream school."
Tsukishima looked away, embarrassed. "Well, you know. Tokyo. Like we said. And I am patient, I-"

Yamaguchi turned, "You are my best friend in the whole world, Kei."

Tsukishima was at a loss for words.
A cherry blossom petal floated across his face, landing on his nose. Yamaguchi lightly reached out, flicking it off. He took a steady breath.

"And I waited a long time for you to realize I wanted just a bit more than that. But I understand, and it's really ok."
"Tadashi... what do you mea-"

Beneath the light of the falling sun, beneath the bows of the tree, Yamaguchi leaned forward and kissed him. Not on the mouth, not with some wild and repressed passion.
He kissed him on the cheek, at the bare corner of his lips, just barely out of reach.
It was gentle. Soft.

Tsukishima quickly pulled back, surprise seizing him. Yamaguchi stood up, looking at him, but not truly. His gaze was somewhere beyond, somewhere already so far away.
"I'll see you soon."

Yamaguchi smiled, his eyes glinting. He turned, walking down and off the hill. Tsukishima watched, dumbstruck. The image was forever crystallized within him.

I don't-
What just-
What-

Tsukishima spent the night pacing through his room, uncertain, unprepared for all of this. He didn't know how he felt, but he knew, more than anything, that he still wanted to keep seeing Yamaguchi everyday, as he always had been. By morning, Tsukishima worked up the resolve and headed to Yamaguchi's house, only to find it vacant. There was barely any sign someone had lived there.

A week past, police were notified. I'll see you soon. A month, Tsukishima refused to leave his room. I'll see you soon. Summer withered out and with his parent's pleading, he decided to continue on to university. I'll see you soon.
A year, then two. Soon began to feel like never.
It was an endless cycle of mourning and uncertainty, and it was too much for him.
In the first two years, Tsukishima responded when people reached out. Hinata, Kageyama. His old upperclassmen: Daichi, Sugawara, Tanaka, Ennoshita, Asahi and Nishinoya. They all wanted to sit, to check in. To talk about Yamaguchi. To talk about his absence.

"He's not.. you know. He's just missing. He'll be back soon!"

Tsukishima hated that word, in all of its vague uncertainty.
He hated himself, because he felt responsible. If he maybe just.. or if he had.. if he hadn't reacted so shocked.. or?
He hated picking up the phone, reading the news, anything. Tsukishima allowed his circle of friends to dwindle, he allowed his life to grow smaller.

In time, he forgot.

But not really.
Not truly.

Memories filtered in through dreams, always in raw specificity. The way the wind felt. Hinata and Kageyama on the bottom of the hill. His impatience. Yamaguchi, always. The way he looked.

Dreams..
I'm dreaming right now, aren't I?

Tsukishima sat up on the couch, his heart pounding in his chest. Sweat had soaked through his shirt. He looked around the apartment his friends had lent him. Everything was as it had been. Afternoon shadows now filtered through the windows.

Did he dare?

He covered his face, turning towards his bed. He peeled his hands from his eyes.
Yamaguchi was still there. Real. Not only within a memory. He slept peacefully, his chest rising and falling, the bandage stark white on his pale skin.

So, this is what soon looks like.

The feelings inside Tsukishima felt more jumbled. He laid back down and closed his eyes, though this time, he did not dream.

He didn't need to.