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

Same, Different

"And you know what? Not the weirdest thing to happen when I've entered a room within the last month."  It was a poor joke, one to make up for the multiple layers of shock that were visible in Bokuto's face. 

"Jesus! Fuck, man. You scared us.", Kuroo groaned, setting the taser on the kitchen table. Tsukishima lightly touched Yamaguchi's arm, a signal for the gun to go down. He noticed the way Akaashi's eyes were glued to the pistol. It wasn't often one saw one in Japan. 

Bokuto followed his fiancee's gaze, "Aren't you, oh yeah. You're the Karasuno kid that died? From Hinata's year?" 

"Bokuto, you can't ask people if they died. And he clearly hasn't.", Akaashi mumbled, looking a bit green. 

"Let's all take a breath.", Tsukishima mildly suggested, a twinge of annoyance rising in him. He always had found Bokuto to be a uniquely frustrating individual, dense and unpredictable. Maintaining his friendship with Kuroo over the years had meant some unfortunate exposure to Bokuto, though Tsukishima did have a kinder view of his better half, Akaashi. They could have some enjoyable, normal conversations alongside Kenma whenever Kuroo and Bokuto were deep in their antics. 

But this was different, this was dangerous. 

Nobody was supposed to know about Yamaguchi. With his luck and Bokuto's brains, it would not have surprised Tsukishima if Bokuto casually mentioned it on national television, or worse, to Hinata. Thankfully, Kuroo had great skill at communicating with the famed outside hitter. "Bo, my guy, you and Akaashi should sit down. We've had a weird week." 

Tsukishima quietly helped Yamaguchi make tea, as Kuroo explained the situation. Bokuto and Akaashi, who normally lived in Osaka, had been trying to see  Kuroo, since Akaashi's work with publishing had brought him to Tokyo for a business trip. The gun, the pink taser, and the story they received were entirely not what they had had in mind for their visit.

"You totally texted me back earlier this week that it was okay to come by." 

"Agh, did I? Are you sure?" 

"Yeah, look." 

The text confirmed it. Kuroo groaned, "I'm such an absentminded idiot." 

Yamaguchi and Tsukishima sat in the library as Kuroo spoke to the couple. He had the sense not to mention the Eye of the Moon, or Yamaguchi's specific ties to crime. Every few minutes, they could hear Bokuto yell something in excitement or disbelief. 

"You pulled a BULLET out of HIM?" 

"The house got broken into??" 

"OOOH Shit. Kenma is gonna be pissed, man!" 

Tsukishima watched Yamaguchi listen, sipping his tea. "How do you feel?" Yamaguchi frowned, turning. "What do you mean? In general, or about this?" "Both." 

He absentmindedly thumbed through Kuroo's books, great chemical tomes, classics, a ridiculous amount of Shonen Jumps that were lined up by date published. The shelves of the library was one of the only organized spaces in the house. 

"Well... this is. Not great. Every person who knows that I'm alive is both at risk and a risk. For you and Kuroo.. we're all kind of holed up in this house together. But I don't know Bokuto and Akaashi well. I only met them a few times, briefly. It's not..." 

He sighed, leaning his forehead against the one of the wooden divots, "Exactly favorable... no." 

Tsukishima nodded. He just wanted to lift the burden of Yamaguchi's anxieties. If it meant turning back time, reliving all the eight years that had past just so he could keep a closer eye on the man, so be it.

"I..I just want you to feel safe again.", he muttered, unable to look at Yamaguchi. 

Yamaguchi gazed back at him, a small and discreet smile playing over his lips. "I know I'm jumpy. And paranoid. But... I do. I do feel safe here. That's why I came." 

Tsukishima raised his eyebrows, surprised. Sometimes, this new Yamaguchi spoke so confidently. He acted that way, too. Like when he pulled Tsukishima into bed with him, or when he had given advice to treat Kuroo's possible concussion. He could comfortably give instruction. It slipped out in the strangest ways. Tsukishima felt like it was his responsibility to protect Yamaguchi, but Yamaguchi was the one who had put his body between them and the home intruders... even if it had just been Bokuto and Akaashi. 

Tsukishima did not understand the dynamic between them anymore than he could understand his own feelings. Relief, or something deeper? 

"YAMAGUCHI!", Bokuto called from the other room. 

Tsukishima offered Yamaguchi a hand, supporting him as he walked back to the couch. 

"Can I hold your gun?", Bokuto asked, all puppy eyed. "No.", Akaashi interjected, before Bokuto could even receive an answer. It was better that way. 

The four men sat, staring at one another. "It all feels a bit unreal, but I'm glad you're safe and within good hands.", Akaashi said with a polite nod to Yamaguchi, who gratefully returned the gesture. 

"I won't say anything. Swear", Bokuto said in the most solemn tone he could muster. 

The tension deflated. "Thank you." Yamaguchi's voice was all shy and quiet, the timidity Tsukishima knew well had reentered his vocabulary. It was like they were all young again, when they had first met at the Tokyo Summer Training Camp. He remembered how Yamaguchi had been so intimidated by the older players, and now here they all were, so many years later. Under the strangest of circumstances. 

It was then, in that small way, that Tsukishima realized not too much had changed. There may be a gap in Yamaguchi's life, a period of difficulty Tsukishima would never understand, but they were all still so similar. They had grown up together. The time apart couldn't rob them of those formative moments. 

Kuroo invited Akaashi and Bokuto to stay for lunch. Bokuto asked if he could check out Kuroo's taser, which Akaashi instantly vetoed. 

Tsukishima watched as Yamaguchi curled up back into the couch, his book propped against his knee. He sat down beside him, and it was like they were back within their own little world. He noticed, as he read, that Yamaguchi wasn't looking up so much, except for when someone in the room said something interesting, or remarkably stupid. Then, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi would share a glance, like they often had, their eyes in a constant state of agreement. He turned a page, content. Tsukishima leaned over his shoulder, trying to follow the story.

 Yamaguchi didn't even flinch when Bokuto dropped another glass.