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

Protect Him

"Kuroo?" 

Kuroo sat, staring at the frozen image his husband. Tsukishima lightly reached out and touched him. Kuroo instantly stiffened, but then began to laugh. It was an awful, horrible sound, entirely different from the man's already strange way of laughing. He tossed his head back, unable to breath. 

"Kuroo?" 

"This.. this is some sick fuck's idea of a joke, right? This can't- this can't be real? Don't you think, Tsukishima?" 

Kuroo's eyes were manic, shattered. He whipped his phone out and called Kenma's number. No answer. He called him again, nothing. Kuroo's hands shook terribly. Tsukishima knew that Kenma was no actor, but he gently suggested, "Why don't we call his hotel?" 

Kuroo rang up the number, sending the concierge to see if his husband was in his room, but they found no one within the suite. The suitcase was still there, and the bed looked unslept in. Kuroo pressed the phone into his forehead. "Oh- oh. Lev. Lev's in Los Angeles. They've been hanging out. I bet. I bet they're just together, or out, so Kenma's not answering his phone. I'll call Lev!" He rapid scrolled through his contacts, setting the call to speaker. Lev sleepily answered on the third ring. "Kuroo?" 

"Hey. Hey. Is Kenma with you?" 

"No. Why?" 

"When did you last see him?" 

"Uhhh.. at this point, like three days ago? Is everything ok?" 

Kuroo hung up the phone before answering, gripping the device tightly. "When's the... when's the last time you talked to him?". Tsukishima couldn't help but flinch when Kuroo looked at him. The expression on his friend's face was a kind of terrifying he had never witnessed. "Two days ago. I assumed.. I assumed he was busy because he was going to be traveling here by now-" 

Kuroo looked in the direction of the garage apartment, a danger entering his eyes. He took off sprinting in that direction, Tsukishima chasing after him, "Kuroo!" If his bare feet hurt on the gravel path, he didn't acknowledge it. Kuroo flew up the steps like a demon tearing through hell, flinging the door open. 

"YAMAGUCHI." 

Tsukishima was right on his heels, "Kuroo!" 

Yamaguchi stirred slightly in his fever addled state. Kuroo yanked him upwards to seating position, crouched over him in bed. "Where. The fuck. Is my husband." 

"Kuroo, he's really sick. He's not going to be able to answer you." 

Yamaguchi's head rolled back, his eyelids fluttering. He made a hoarse noise from within his throat, his breath rattling. Kuroo ignored Tsukishima and shook him like a ragdoll, "WHERE THE FUCK IS MY HUSBAND?" Yamaguchi gasped, half conscious, pressing his hand against the wound at his side, which was now bleeding more heavily from the movement. Tsukishima wrestled Kuroo away from him, prying at his fingers. Kuroo tried to fight him off, "Where- WHERE'S KENMA- WHERE DID THEY TAKE HIM-" 

He slipped out of Tsukishima's hold and tried to grab Yamaguchi, pulling at his arm, dragging him from the bed. Yamaguchi made a small noise of pain and Tsukishima put himself between the two men, using his elbow to slam Kuroo against the wall, tightly pining him by the throat. 

"Do not touch him again. I swear to god, Kuroo. I will not let you touch him." 

They stared each other down, both possessed by a primal fury. Their eyes were full of rage, though Kuroo's was wilder, whereas Tsukshima's anger was cold and calculated. He pressed his elbow a bit harder into Kuroo's throat.

 "I know you're freaking out, but he can't even speak. You need to calm down." 

Kuroo gave an almost imperceptible nod. Tsukishima released him and he sunk to the floor, coughing. He stayed on the ground, sobbing, the act taking over his whole body. It made him look small. Tsukishima  gently picked Yamaguchi up, placing his back in bed. The green haired man curled his body around him, whimpering softly.  Blood continued to ooze slowly through the bandage. His whole being burned to the touch. Hospital, Tsukishima thought. 

Kuroo grew quiet, the hyperventilating sobs traded for weeping, which was possibly worse. It reeked of despair. His shoulders shook, he breathed in low, even gasps. Every tiny noise he made struck Tsukishima through the heart. When he was sure that Kuroo wasn't going to try anything else crazy, he quietly got up, bringing in the medical supplies from the main house, along with a small cup of tea. He set the tea on the floor beside Kuroo, then set about treating Yamaguchi. 

The wound beneath the bandages was yellowed around the edges. He dabbed disinfectant on, but Yamaguchi didn't even react to the sting. He rebandaged him, propping the man's head up, forcing some Tylenol down his throat.  Tsukishima held Yamaguchi's mouth open, pouring small amounts of water into it so he wouldn't become dehydrated. Yamaguchi's eyes briefly opened, staring into Tsukishima's own, and he felt like he was looking at his whole world. The moment was quickly over, though, and Yamaguchi returned to his less than aware state. Tsukishima held him close to his body, nearly overwhelmed by his own anguish. 

Yamaguchi, Kenma..

He wanted, so desperately, more than anything- he wanted the people he cared about to be safe.

Kuroo sat with his back against the wall, staring numbly ahead, fumbling with the mug of tea. When he spoke, his voice was cracked and hollow.

"Kei.... what are we going to do?" 

Tsukishima pressed his face against Yamaguchi's hair, then looked back up at his friend. The determination inside of him was growing. 

"Isn't it obvious?" 

"Isn't what obvious?" 

"We're going to steal the Eye of the Moon."