There are plenty of words in the world to describe an encounter between weak and outnumbering as there are enough to define Yamaguchi's difference from the ones who used to bully him back in the elementary school, and these shouldn't have anything in common. Yet, when Tsukishima happened to be crossing the park that day and walked into a demonstration of inequality, he somehow managed to unite them all into a single one.
It is difficult to scrub off. Yamaguchi follows the boy for years, admires him, agrees with him, tries to get better at things he seems to be fond of - but nothing does it, and Tsukishima remains harsh and mostly indifferent. For a long time, they're stuck on "shut up"s and "sorry"s.
The thing that works, surprisingly, is Yamaguchi's spontaneous attempt to defy Tsukishima's rules during the summer training camp – or maybe not so spontaneous, who knows - but either way, it is something no one else has ever done before. The act is so strikingly wild and courageous it leaves scratches on Tsukishima's perfect shield.
The scratches deepen and turn into cracks while Yamaguchi masters his serving skills with an impressive amount of diligence for a player whose last try was a huge letdown. Eventually, both boys make it to the game against Aobajousai, and Yamaguchi lunges forward to bash his doubts into the opponents' floor together with the ball. It's his first successful serve, and it is followed by thundering silence.
Then, there is an explosion of shouts - both from their teammates and opponents. Karasuno are amazed, viewers are going crazy, and maybe the rest of the world is a little mad now as well. On instant, Yamaguchi is surrounded by the other players, and he's grinning like a small kid who's just got a birthday present he's been dreaming about for years. Hinata and Nishinoya are so excited they almost jump at him.
A perfect example of calm, Tsukishima is the only one who doesn't give in to the overwhelming desire to strangle the boy in a whole-hearted mix of limbs. Instead, he looks away, takes a quiet breath and utters:
"It's really not all that surprising, you know."
The words are pointy enough to pierce the noisy group, and friendly interactions come to a halt. He can't see it, but Yamaguchi looks up at him, meeting the eleven on his back with a puzzled expression. Tanaka goes berserk immediately, but before he's able to start barking nonsense, Tsukishima addresses his friend once again:
"After all," he adds, "you practiced serving more than anyone else over these past five months."
The statement doesn't keep Tanaka from trying to plant a fist into his side, but Yamaguchi's serves get even better. The team earns another point, and then another one, though this time Tsukishima has to fight in order to ensure it. The fourth serve is as magnificent as the first one, and Aobajousai lets through the fifth. They're becoming angry by now, and it is as clear as day no one was expecting this.
Unfortunately, miracles end, and six is not Yamaguchi's number. He manages a good serve, but the ball meets an unwelcome pair of hands on the other side of the net. Iwaizumi sends it back, and although Yamaguchi reaches it, he fails to control it.
"Nice kill!" someone shouts as the ball goes out.
Yamaguchi tumbles down to the floor, defeated, and his chain of serves is done for. Despite the sad outcome, the boy looks delighted enough, and he's seized into a massive bear hug as soon as he joins the inactive players. Hinata raises a hand, spreads his fingers and shouts something at him happily, and things seem to be fine.
Looking mildly irritated, Tsukishima focuses on the game. Thanks to Yamaguchi, Karasuno has a chance to win the set, and there's no way he or the rest of the team are letting these hard-earned five points go to waste.
When the game resumes, there's a lot of spirit floating around Karasuno, and everyone is playing at their maximum power. For a moment it feels like the crows are about to close the game with two wins in a row- however, only for a moment.
Because it's Oikawa's turn to serve.
Players on both sides go completely still as Aobajousai's number one takes his spot on the court and rotates the ball in his firm hold, waiting for the whistle to arrive. When Oikawa hears it, he moves in a flash, jumping up and hitting the ball with enormous force - the serve is so quick it can possibly harm the person who's brave enough to catch it.
Nishinoya is, and he dashes towards the ball, but his foot slips and sends him into an unsteady flight. The ball gets him in his left shoulder, changes its path and takes off in the direction of the resting players. With a loud thud it collides with Yamaguchi's temple, and the poor unsuspecting boy loses his balance and falls down to the floor once again. It's a rather nasty fall, and when he sits up after a few moments, he's rubbing his head, and there's a pained expression on his face.
Karasuno is unsure who needs help more: their libero, who's just made an epic twist in the air and is now struggling to rise to his feet, or their newfound hero. Tsukishima has his priorities settled, so he hurries to Yamaguchi's side without hesitation.
"Itshf. Okay, I'm okay," the boy promises with a crooked smile. His eyes aren't focused. "It was. A good serve, oww... 'm okay..."
Tsukishima watches him with a rapidly forming frown. He's heard stories and read enough books and articles and is quite smart in general, so it's no surprise the next thing that leaves his mouth is good advice.
"Go see the nurse."
"But- I…" Yamaguchi stutters, "I want to-"
"Now," Tsukishima cuts him off. He grabs Yamaguchi's hands and brings him to his feet as carefully as he can, then shoots a glare towards Ukai who nods in return. The coach glances at Nishinoya to see if he's in any need of help, but the libero seems to be doing okay.
"Take him to the nurse," Ukai asks the advisor. Takeda takes gentle hold of Yamaguchi's elbow, but the boy is reluctant to move, and his eyes dart back to Tsukishima. Their hands are still connected.
"Tsukki…" he tries.
Tsukishima is having none of that.
"Better for you," he says, tears his hand away and turns to leave.
"Tsukki-" Yamaguchi repeats desperately, but fails to steal more attention. Tsukishima joins the others by the net and concentrates on the game once more.
His stare glues to Oikawa who's about to serve, and Tsukishima notices uncertainty on the young player's face. Despite the incident, he's earned Aobajousai a point, and they may actually win this set and begin the third one. But Tsukishima can see Oikawa's confidence waver because he didn't intend to damage anyone with his serves. It is easy to guess from the way Oikawa keeps checking Yamaguchi's progress towards the exit even though the whistle is about to come. That's a good sign for Karasuno.
The call is there, and Oikawa flinches. His teammates are watching him, and some of them have the brain to shield their necks and the back of their heads, draining the remains of their captain's determination with their lack of trust. Normally, Tsukishima would laugh at the display, but not today.
Precious seconds pass, and Oikawa finally gathers himself. He lets out a breath and makes a step towards the jump… only to freeze mid-action. Suddenly, his expression fills with fear, and the ball falls out of his grasp and hits the floor. The dull sound is joined by another one coming from nearby.
From the exit.
Tsukishima spins around like his life depends on it, and the first thing he sees is Yamaguchi's limp body lying on the floor. The boy isn't moving. Takeda drops to his knees beside him and checks his condition, and Ukai rushes towards them with a cell phone in his grasp. The air thickens with whispers and shouts as people around them start getting the picture.
"What happened? Is he dead?"
"How many times did he hit his head?"
Tsukishima stays frozen for a good half a minute. After that, he takes a step, takes another one, and then he's running to Yamaguchi's side again, and so does Oikawa. Both of them collapse on their knees as soon as they reach the boy.
"Oh God," Oikawa chokes out. "This can't be happening…"
Tsukishima is completely silent. He clutches the edge of Yamaguchi's shirt, eyes wide and lips trembling, and he doesn't let go until doctors are there and he's being dragged away from his unconscious friend by force. His grip on the cloth is so tight it takes a while for Ukai to pry his fingers open.
The doctors form a circle around Yamaguchi's body; there's an obvious hurry and dozens of words flying back and forth. Tsukishima doesn't notice when Sugawara presses a palm to his back.
Minutes blur, and words become louder. Voices lose their steadiness, and eventually it dawns upon Karasuno that, for some reason, the doctors are unable to bring Yamaguchi back to his senses.
Somewhere on the court Hinata is crying into Kageyama's shoulder, and Daichi hides his face from the rest of the team. Lying on the floor, Nishinoya faces the ceiling, and his stare is empty. He doesn't respond when Asahi and Tanaka try talking to him.
It was supposed to be a good game, but it isn't - neither for Karasuno, nor for Aobajousai, even though the latter gets the victory. Yamaguchi leaves the building in a coma, and he never wakes up.
When Tsukishima learns about his death, he locks himself in his room and doesn't come out for a long time.
The game between Aobajousai and Shiratorizawa ends so early it's embarrassing. Tsukishima didn't bother coming to witness it, but people say that letting Aobajousai's number one onto the court was the team's biggest mistake. It's in the local news the same day it happens, and when Tsukishima walks into the living room, the information starts pouring into his ears like a swarm of bees.
His older brother hears him enter and looks over the back of the couch he's sitting on.
"You look horrible," is the first thing he says. His lips press into a thin line as soon as the words are out, and he adds quietly, "sorry."
Tsukishima hums, looking past him. A familiar face flashes on the screen and reappears after a brief overview of the results: it's Oikawa, and he's standing on the court with his chin dropped. Iwaizumi grabs the man's shoulders and tries to shake him out of whatever stupor he's in, but the attempt is fruitless.
"This guy has problems," his brother says. "His serves are all off."
The camera jumps to the Shiratorizawa players next as they gather and congratulate each other, all of them proud about their recent victory. Their captain is wearing a smirk.
Tsukishima hums again, and that earns him a worried stare. "No, really, eat something at least, alright?"
The question gets a shrug in response. After that Tsukishima proceeds into the bathroom and disappears behind the door, and his brother changes the channel once the news is over. He's past a weather-forecast and half through a comedy show when the boy emerges, and there's a fresh smell of shampoo in the air. Tsukishima throws a glance at the TV and heads back to his room.
Yamaguchi's funeral takes place on a rainy day.
The streets are trapped under a heavy net of thunder clouds, and there's constant noise coming from all the drops that crash against the ground. People hide from the rain in the comfort of their homes and vehicles, and only a few of them are out, shielding themselves from the relentless water that still gets their feet.
Safe in the warmth of his dark room, Tsukishima opens his eyes. He gets up from his bed wearing nothing but his underwear and a plain white t-shirt, and music is flowing into his ears through the headphones. That is why when he leans onto the windowsill, he sees a bright flash outside but doesn't hear thunder.
Somewhere, they are putting Yamaguchi's body into the wet dirt, and Tsukishima knows that all of his teammates are there with their wide black umbrellas and numb goodbyes. His parents are mourning, and maybe a few people from Aobajousai found time to come.
Tsukishima stays at home.
For a while he watches the rain, sees someone's car park by the road and a soaking dog that belongs to no one. With a small sigh, the boy closes the curtains so that nothing comes in anymore and walks back to his bed. His fingertip finds the stop button.