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

Not What He Seems

Yamaguchi had that airy, loose smile on his face, the one that was often reserved for Tsukishima when they were in on some kind of joke together, but this time, Tsukishima was at a complete loss. Words fumbled around in his mouth, but he could not seem to determine the right one. Standing up there, over all of them, Yamaguchi looked dark and beautiful, strong, separate. It was Kuroo that finally spoke when he registered what was happening.

"What the fuck is going on?"

He stood up from the floor, pulling Kenma with him, now holding tighter to his husband, shiftly eyeing the guards as if daring them to try and separate the pair. The man in blue lazily waved a hand, a look of childlike annoyance overcoming him. He sighed, deeply, "Tadashi, it's rude not to make introductions. You know better."
Yamaguchi was completely unreadable, his voice saturated in formal casualty. He politely bowed his head in an apology, "This is my employer, Mr. Goda. Sir, Tsukishima Kei and Kuroo Tetsuro. And you've become acquainted with Mr. Kozume over the week, I'm sure. "
Goda nodded, resting his chin in the crook of his hand, "We had dinner together Wednesday evening, but honestly, he was terrible company. Barely spoke at all."

"Hey-", Kuroo barked, but Goda cut him off with icy glare, a cold tremor of power surging through the room, replacing the nonchalant behavior the man had only just exhibited. It was a jarring switch. Yamaguchi shifted between his feet. His employer seemed to be growing weary of the dialogue. He flicked a finger at Tsukishima.
"Let me see the stone."

But Tsukishima didn't move. He didn't even breathe. Nothing that was happening was making any sense and nobody was giving him the answers he needed. He stared ahead, unwavering, unprocessed.

Goda clicked his tongue, "Tadashi."

Yamaguchi nodded and slowly descended from the platform. He smiled sympathetically at Tsukishima, holding his hands in front of him like he was approaching a cornered animal, the same expression Tsukishima knew from his own body in all the moments that he had guided Yamaguchi through panic. It felt so alien to have their roles reversed. They were close now, close enough to touch.

"Tsukki, please give me the Eye.", Yamaguchi murmured softly, his voice barely audible.
Tsukishima still did not move.
Yamaguchi lightly reached out, delicately wrapping his arms around the man as if to embrace him, but his fingers settled on a weight in the back of the jacket lining. Goda wolf whistled from where he watched. Tsukishima oddly did not feel too much of a difference in pull as Yamaguchi extracted the gem, but as the light reflected off the crystalline surface, catching his eye, something inside him snapped.
Before he could process what he was doing, he was holding the gun that had been hidden at his belt up to Yamaguchi's head.

"What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On."

Tsukishima tried to sound demanding, but it came out more as a plea. Every guard in the room quickly brandished their weapon at him, but Yamaguchi held up his hand. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly.
"I was wondering where that went."

Tsukishima's hand shook, "Tell me."

Yamaguchi's face was blank. He shook his head slightly, mumbling, "Put the gun down, Tsukki. You don't even know how to use that."
Tsukishima ignored him, steadying himself, pretending he did not see the truth in Yamaguchi's words. His mind felt so disordered, so beyond his body. Only two weeks ago, the pair of them had stretched out a blanket in Kuroo's backyard to examine the stars that shone through Tokyo's haze, fingers folding together. Perfect harmony.

What was he doing, holding up this killing tool to the face of the person he loved most in his life?

But... what was Yamaguchi doing here?

Tsukishima would not back down from an answer. Yamaguchi was equally unflinching, unwavering. He was so composed, Tsukishima madly wondered if he even cared.
And if he didn't..
If all this time, these last weeks, the memories new and old, the eight years of agonized waiting, hadn't really meant anything-

I'll try something else, then.

Tsukishima pressed the gun up to his own head. He heard Kuroo yell something, but it was drowned out against the rising of his heart beat.
Yamaguchi's face crumpled, twisting into some kind of brief emotional spasm. He turned sharply to look at Goda for how to proceed. The older man looked at Tsukishima with haughty displeasure.
"Explain. I don't want to pay extra to get stains out of the carpet."

Yamaguchi nodded, turning back to Tsukishima. He did not look at his face, seeking a viewpoint anywhere else, his hands, his chest, his shoes. Tsukishima swallowed.
"I tried to steal the gem during opening hours and.. I failed. The crowd was too difficult to navigate. The Goda corporation is currently under federal investigation for financial embezzlement.. so we couldn't use any of the company's political connections to gain access to the museum after hours. Too risky. The stone is being moved for display in the States soon. There was only a small window of time left."

The picture Yamaguchi was painting seemed as though it had no connection to reality, to them, to their relationship. Tsukishima felt an illness push him towards an edge.

"Surprisingly, though, I realized my former life held a loose thread of connection between myself and other political figures, like, say, Japan's National Men's Volleyball team. Then, it was just getting the pieces right."

A sort of sickly pride was ignited in Yamaguchi. It was unbecoming of him, the man who had waved away any compliment he had ever been given.

"I arranged a scenario that would force action. I texted Bokuto from Kuroo's phone. I even planted the idea in your head of both using a black out and disguising yourself as waitstaff. I knew, Tsukki, the two of you could figure out the rest."

Tsukishima stepped away from him, his stomach coiling into knots. He fingers trembled in an anger he could not exactly place. It felt so strong and so close to the place in his heart where he had carried his love for Yamaguchi.
"If you had just told me you needed help, if you had told me anything, I would've done whatever I could for you.", he spat.

Yamaguchi nodded slowly, "I know."

"Then why-"

Yamaguchi gestured towards Kuroo, "His help was needed, too. You might've done what you could for me because you care so deeply, but not him. We don't know each other."
Kuroo's eyes flashed in a white rage, "I pulled a fucking bullet out of you, Yamaguchi, you little-"
Kenma placed a quiet hand on his husband, cutting him off. Up at his chair, Goda chuckled.
Tsukishima didn't like having all these spectators for his exchange. The painful moment was being inhumanly observed.
It made him feel pathetic.
Tsukishima pressed the gun tighter against his skin, gritting his teeth.

"So was everything a lie? Was every single thing you've said to me- was that all untrue? All of it?"

Yamaguchi moved before Tsukishima could blink, slamming a hand against the arm that held the gun. The surprise force brought Tsukishima to the ground. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. Yamaguchi stepped down on his wrist, forcing the blond to drop the weapon.

"I told you not to mess with things you don't understand."

He kicked the gun in the direction of the other guards and crossed back up to where Mr. Goda sat, retaking his place behind the man.

Tsukishima lay still on the carpet, staring up at the high ceiling, catching his breath is short wheezes.
He wanted to stay there, right there. He never wanted to get up again.