Stay With Me

After a long night of travel (taking a longer route, back roads, and making sure no one was following), the newly reformed Crows gathered in a small clearing, just inside Buttsu-ji grounds in Mihara, Hiroshima prefecture. They worked together like a well-oiled machine: pitching tents, building a small cook fire, and otherwise making the site habitable for the two days they planned to be here. Tsuki, unsure of what to do to help, or just plain anxious about getting in the way, stayed near the fire. Through the trees, the sun was just about to crest the horizon.

“How are you holding up?” Kiyoko asked, putting down a couple bags, and settling down beside him.
Tsuki grinned at her. “Maintaining,” he answered. “I’m not used to traveling with others,” he admitted slowly.
“Well, now you’re with us, and we don’t plan on leaving you alone.”
Tsuki smiled. “I’m glad. I missed you guys. I’m pretty sure Tetsu knows all about…” His voice trailed off and his smile faded. “Sorry.”
“No, don’t apologize! Tell me more about your Kuroo. All I ever heard about him was that he was one of the best middle blockers in Tokyo, back when we were in school.”
He was about to regale her with his time with Kuroo, but then he looked at her and smirked. “They sent you to keep me company, didn’t they?”
She chuckled. “Well, yes…”
“I knew it.”
“Perceptive as always.” She nudged him with her elbow. “But also, no, it’s not just to keep you company. They’ll be over eventually, as soon as they’re satisfied the area is as safe as possible. We missed you too, you know.”
“Ah.” He inclined his head and gestured to the bags. “What’s in those?”
“Breakfast,” she replied, reaching into a bag and bringing out a few pans, cooking utensils, and even a coffee maker. “Help me set up so we can have the food ready for the boys.”
“Thank you, Kiyoko-san,” he said quietly, relieved to be finally helping.
“You’re welcome. I figured you wanted to do something. Oh, and drop the honorific. We’re family.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he saluted smartly.
“Glad to see you haven’t lost that part of your personality,” she said wryly. “Come on, let’s get breakfast ready.”

Tsuki happily helped her out, following her directions, and even doing some of the cooking (which really surprised her). One by one, the others drifted back, lured by the smell of a hot meal. Tsuki gladly served them a heaping plate of food, and Kiyoko gave them all a steaming mug of coffee.

They spent their breakfast eating and talking, regaling each other with stories from the last decade. Most of them were good, and some drifted off into nothing once any of their missing members were mentioned. A brief pause would follow before someone else brought up another story.

Curiously, the only one who didn’t participate, at least not with any stories past high school, was Hinata. Oh, he ate heartily, smiled and laughed with the others during one of the better tales. But otherwise he simply sat there, close to Noya and Tanaka, and listened to everyone else, seemingly content to be that way. It was the complete opposite of the Hinata he remembered from school; the one who was loud, obnoxious, in everyone’s business, and overall spreading his sunshiny disposition around.

Tsuki meant to ask what happened, why this Hinata was so different, but both Noya and Tanaka shook their heads, warning him off. This wasn’t the time, then. Maybe later, once they’ve been together for longer than half a day.

Once they finished eating, and everything was cleaned and put away, the fire doused and buried, they made their way to their tents. It was clear they’d done this often enough too, but with him there, things had to be switched up. They assured him no one minded at all. Suga was also a new addition, so they rearranged sleeping orders a bit. Tsuki eventually found himself in a tent with Noya.

“Glad to have you back, man,” Noya said quietly. He playfully slugged Tsuki in the arm.
Tsuki grimaced and rubbed his arm. “Yeah. I think you just wanted me here for a punching bag.”
“Naw! Knew it annoyed you, so we both made it our mission to be as annoying as possible. It was our way to try and include you, since you were always so salty and stand-offish.”
“Was I?”
“Well, at first, yeah. By your second year, you warmed up to us nicely. We kept it up, though. Tradition and all that.”
“I knew it! Tackling me after every game we won, and during practices. I was beginning to think you just hated my height.”
“Well, maybe a bit jealous, but your height helped us win games, too, so I wasn’t mad. Much.”

They laughed together for a little bit, and settled down into their sleeping bags. That was another thing he’d noticed about his team: they had enough food and supplies for an extra person. Two, if they made everything stretch. Somehow, that comforted him, and yet…

“Noya-san?”
“Yes, my curious kohai?”
“Seriously?”
“Dude, you insist on using those honorifics around us.”
“Well…”
“Well, nothin. Stop it. We’re family.”
“Right. Sorry.”
“You need to stop that, too.”
“What?”
“Apologizing. We know you’re not used to being on the run with people. It’ll take time to get used to it. We aren’t used to having you with us again. Everyone’s changed since high school. The dynamics are going to be weird until we’re all used to each other again. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“So… what’s on your mind?”
“I… I just want to know…”
“What happened to them?” Noya replied quietly, his earlier joviality dimmed.
“Yeah. Four of them, right? Daichi, Asahi, Ennoshita, and Kageyama.” He listed their names quickly, but quietly. He knew how attached Noya had been to Asahi, especially.
“No. There were five. Did they not tell you?”

Tsuki slowly sat up, and drew his legs up so he could rest his arms and head on them. Noya followed suit, but said nothing, waiting for him to speak. Since he hadn’t thought to change clothes, Tsuki reached into his pocket and brought out the thing Yachi had given him before they parted ways. He held it in his clenched hand, knowing exactly what it was, and not wanting to admit he knew.

Slowly, he turned and opened his hand: in his palm lay a class ring. Specifically, their class ring. The year 2015 straddled the orange garnet stone in the middle. A volleyball was engraved on one side, and the number 1 on the other. Inside the band, he read the name of his best friend: Tadashi Yamaguchi. His hand started shaking, and he clenched his fist closed around the ring. His best friend since before high school, the one he’d had a crush on and confessed to with disastrous results, was one of the five Crows that were killed.

“Are you sure you want to know?” Noya asked softly.
Tsuki nodded. “I do. But maybe not now.”
“Understandable.”
“One question.”
“Go for it.”
“Was Yachi there?”
Noya inhaled deeply, and let it out slowly. “Yeah. She was there. We all were.”
“Was she with him when…?”
“Thankfully, no. He was one of the first to fall. We wouldn’t let her go find him, and we gave her the ring. That was what he wanted.”
“Right. He always did love her.”
“Since the first day she came to us, hiding behind Kiyoko,” Noya said nostalgically.
“Right.” Which is why his confession hadn’t gone as well as he’d thought. Tadashi had lost his heart to tiny Yachi. Even then, Tsuki hadn’t been mad, and Tadashi had stayed his best friend. Yachi, too.
“Well, let’s go ahead and get some sleep. You need to rest as much as the rest of us,” Noya interrupted his thoughts.
Tsuki squinted at him. “Did Kuroo say anything to any of you?”
“Nope!”
“How did you know?”
“We arrived in Himeji around the same time you did, and met up with Aunt Yui. She told Bokuto, who told us.”
“Right.”
“You’re not alone anymore. Get used to it… Beanpole.”
“Short stack.”
“I’m too tired to tackle you for that.”
“Point for me.”
Noya laughed. “Sleep well, Tsuki.”
“You too, Noya.”

~*~

“From here, we need to make our way to Kochi prefecture,” Kinoshita reported to them over a late lunch and more coffee. “We stay there for another day, and then on to Miyazaki.”
“Are we going to the base?” Suga asked, looking almost excited about it. When he caught sight of Tsuki’s curious expression, he explained, “I haven’t been back in a while.”
“I don’t quite understand,” Tsuki said hesitantly. “I thought everyone was together…”
“We started out that way,” Kiyoko joined in. “All of us were based in Miyagi, since we were all familiar with the territory.”
“But eventually, we realized we needed to split up,” Narita followed. “All of us together made it too easy for them to find us.”
No need to say who “them” was.
“Suga, Narita, Ennoshita, Noya, Hinata, Kageyama, and I went to Miyazaki to the base there. The rest stayed in Miyagi,” Kinoshita supplied.
“Okay. I understood most of that. But why a base in Miyazaki? I mean, I know my brother sent some of you, but…”

Narita looked a little uncomfortable, as did Kinoshita. Hinata still hadn’t spoken, and after Tsuki asked, he’d handed his empty plate to Noya and went off into the trees, disappearing from sight. Noya handed off both plates to Tanaka and followed Hinata, worry etched on his face.

“We can’t tell you everything,” Suga said into the silence. “I really wish we could, as some of the info would help you, too, but…”
“We’ve been ordered not to tell you more than you need to know,” Narita interjected. “And just so you know, it wasn’t Akiteru’s orders.”
“Then who?”
“Classified.”
“Why?”
“Also classified.”
“Please, Tsuki. We know you’re curious, and we hate not being able to tell you, but…”
“Sorry. I won’t ask.”
“Thank you. We’re sorry, too.”

After a few moments of awkward silence, Tsuki tried to ask another question. “What’s with Hinata? He’s not… the same?” He knew the moment he finished asking that this wasn’t going to go well. “Nevermind. You don’t need to tell me. I just wondered why it seems like he hates me.” That just seemed to make everything worse. Tsuki, very uncomfortable, stood up, handing his plate to Narita. “I need to walk a bit. Do you mind?”

“I’ll go with you,” Suga offered.
Kiyoko also stood up. “Me too, if you don’t mind.”
“Well, I kinda meant by myself.”
The two former third years looked a bit bashful, and Tsuki smirked. “Orders to keep an eye on me, too? Make sure I don’t run away from you?”
“Something like that,” Suga said.
“At least you’re honest with me. For the most part.” He smiled a bit. “I won’t run.”
“And we’ll still come with you. Consider us glue,” Suga said, his famous wicked grin showing up.

Tsuki shrugged and started walking, and they caught up to walk beside him. No one said anything for a while. But, as they went deeper into the temple grounds, they found a tiny shrine. It didn’t look like much, but it seemed to have been cared for. As old as it looked, it was free of moss and mold, and someone had lit some incense, a thin plume drifting up and curling before dissipating. The three of them stood there, each slowly raising their hands to pray.

“I don’t think he means to blame you for anything,” Suga said quietly, a little while later. “His heart was broken that day, and remains shattered.”
“You’re right,” Kiyoko spoke up from beside him. “He’s not the same as he was, and that was made quite clear to us last night. Don’t ask,” she put up her hands in the shape of an ‘x.’ “Just know that the rest of us are all worried about him.”
“Tobio was killed as he was trying to protect both Tadashi and Shoyo. He was too late for Tadashi, but he’d taken the hit that was meant for Shoyo.”
“Oh my god,” Tsuki whispered. He felt the sting of tears, and tried to blink them away.
“Shoyo went mad after that. He tried to kill Tobio’s killer, but couldn’t leave Tobio, so…”
“Enough, please,” Tsuki begged them. “I get it. But… Why were you all even there? That’s what I don’t understand.”
His two favorite senpais looked at each other, and then at him. It was Kiyoko who answered him.
“Do you not know?”
“I wouldn’t ask if I did,” he replied, frustration lacing his voice.
“Each of us were recruited in our third year, with the understanding that we’d be called to duty soon. And we were… After you graduated.”
“What…?”
“Akiteru called us a few days after you ran the first time. Our job was to protect you from Grandmother’s forces.”
“But then, why…?”
“We were told what happened. We were ordered to keep our distance. But besides those orders, we also knew we couldn’t approach you personally.”
“But…”
“Would you have trusted us, any of us, if we had come to you and told you why we were there? And who sent us?”

She had him there. At that time in his life he could trust no one, not even those close to him. He’d harbored that practice until he met Tetsu.

“Do you all blame me for…”
“Oh god no,” Suga said strongly. “We understood what we signed up for, and none of us ever blamed you for anything. Maybe a little irritated that we could never quite keep up with you, but other than that… You’re family, Kei,” he said, deliberately using his first name, knowing it would work in convincing him. “And like I told you before, I really don’t think Shoyo blames you, either. Not deep down. He may not be the same person you knew, but he’s still our Shoyo. We’re not giving up on him, either.”
“Right.” He laid a hand on his neck and shifted a bit. “Do you think I could talk to Tetsu?”
“Is it a secure line?”
“Yeah. Only we know our numbers, and they are disposable phones, so if I am traced…”
“We can get rid of the phone. Good thinking. Well, I don’t see any harm, so go for it. We’ll wait here for you.”
“Thank you!”

Kei walked far enough away that he stayed in sight, but couldn’t be heard, and took out his phone. The signal wasn’t the best, but he still had enough for a call. Flipping it open, he quickly dialed Tetsu’s number and eagerly waited for him to pick up.

~*~

“Hey, Tetsu!”
“Moonshine! Are you okay? You’re not hurt?”
“You worry too much. But I could ask the same of you.”
“Yeah, well, can’t help it. I’m fine. So are the rest of us.”
“Same here. Well, mostly. I just found out a few things and am not sure how to process it.”
“Can you talk to me about them?”
“Yes, and no. I really just wanted to talk to you.”
“Read my mind. I was about to call you.”
“Ha! I beat you to it!”
“Well, next time, I’ll beat you.”
“You’re just a sore loser.”
“Whatever. Hey, where are you?”
“I can’t say. Same rules apply as if I was on my own. Just like I can’t know where you are.”
“I mean, I know you’re right, but…”
“How about, I’m way too far away from you?”
“Hmmm… I like that answer.”
“Smartass.”
“And you like it.”
“Duh! I wouldn’t hang out with you if I didn’t.”
There was a brief silence, and then, “You sound like you’re back to normal, considering. I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.”
“Hey, do you want to take a minute to talk to Aunt Yui?”
“I guess I have to. Is she right there next to you?”
“How could you tell? And I think Yachi wants to speak with you, too.”
“Didn’t think this was a conference call.”
“Me either, but they are practically hanging off me…”

Tsuki started laughing, and would have told him to put one of the ladies on the phone, but at that moment, a piercing scream rent the air. Tsuki froze, nearly dropping the phone. He turned to Kiyoko and Suga, who looked stricken, as if they knew exactly what, or who, made that scream.

“Kei, what was that?”
“You heard it, too?”
“Yeah. Kei?”
“I don’t know, but…”

Another scream, and it was much louder and longer than the first. Definitely human, and it sounded like that human was…

“Shoyo…” both Suga and Kiyoko said at once. “Come on, Kei. We need to go.”
“Okay, but…”
“No! Hang up the phone! He needs us!”
“Okay,” he put the phone to his ear as they started running. “Tetsu?”
“I heard. Talk to you later. Love you, Kei.”
“I love you, too.”

He hung up and pocketed his phone, racing after Kiyoko and Suga, in the direction of the screaming Hinata.


*Author's Notes*
I don't know if class rings are a thing in Japan for graduating seniors (third years), but I couldn't let go of the thought that Yachi gave Tsuki his best friend's class ring.