Chapter Text
It was a Saturday. The team was visiting Yamaguchi after the morning practice because he hadn’t been to school for two days. He was also not replying to their messages. So they thought he might be sick. Since Yamaguchi’s parents normally went on long business trips, Tsukishima had the spare keys to his house for emergencies. Emergencies like no one opening the door.
They went inside but no one answered their calls of ‘Yamaguchi’. They thought he must have gone out. Daichi, just wanting to make sure his kouhai was not in his room, sleeping, sneaked to his room while everyone else was making plans to go to the ice cream shop down the street. The room was well organized. The bed was made. There were a few pages on the table neatly kept. The bathroom door was closed. Maybe it was a gut feeling, maybe it was some superfast rational thought but Daichi felt the urge to check the bathroom. And so he entered.
Yamaguchi was floating. In the bathtub. The water was red.
And all Daichi could do was stare.
Daichi could not move. He could not remove his eyes from the body. The metallic smell of blood was overwhelming. But Daichi’s feet were stuck on the ground.
He would never forget that image or that smell in his life.
Daichi somehow got himself to move and ran out. He could barely control his breathing but he needed to get everyone out of the house. They couldn’t see this. They must never see this. Especially Tsukishima.
He called out to Suga from the hallway. Suga came and immediately looked concerned. He tried to make Diachi sit down and calm down, ask what is wrong. However, Daichi’s choked ‘Get everyone out of the house’ must have sounded really desperate and hoarse because Suga, even with a lot of questions and worry on his face, didn’t ask any questions. He got up and started leaving when Daichi’s soft ‘Except Tsukishima’ reached his ears and he turned around with panic clearly written in his wide eyes.
He somehow still managed to compose himself and get everybody out giving some excuse to why he, Daichi and Tsukishima are staying back. He didn’t notice Asahi giving him a suspicious look before distracting everyone from asking questions and ushering them out.
Once the door closed, Daichi came out looking wrecked. He was still breathing heavily and his eyes looked a little wild. He had a phone in his hand that he shakily kept on the table. Tsukishima, who was looking suspiciously at Suga since he asked everyone to leave now looked even more confused and worried.
‘What is happening Daichi-san’, he asked
Daichi took a deep breath. How do you tell someone that their best friend since childhood was floating in a bathtub full of water mixed with their blood just in the next room?
‘Tsukishima, I need you to sit down. Suga you too.’
‘What is happening?’Tsukishima asked again but with a more panicked voice. He almost started going towards the room when thankfully Suga pulled him back and made him sit down next to him.
Tsukishima’s eyes are wide and Daichi is still trying to breathe normally. Suga finally breaks the silence.
‘Daichi?’ he asks in a concerned voice.
Daichi finally seems to have gathered some courage but looks like he is on the verge of crying.
‘There is an ambulance on it’s way’
Tsukishima visibly gasps and tries to get up but Suga pulls him down again.
‘Why is there an ambulance on it’s way?!’ Tsukishima asks in a raised, clearly panicked voice. No, this is not happening. No, he was just overthinking Daichi’s cryptic language.
‘ Tsukishima, Yam-‘ and the bell rings.
Daichi quickly goes and opens the door to find the Paramedics. He quickly points them to the room and informs them to go to the bathroom.
Tsukishima is already on his feet, trying to go to the room himself while Suga is trying to hold him back. Daichi quickly comes to help Suga.
‘NO, WHAT IS HAPPENING??’
‘Tsukishima please cal-‘
‘NO FUCK, NO LET ME SEE, WHAT HAPPENED?’
Tsukishima was slowly becoming hysterical.
‘NO, let me see! Why are you stopping me? He is alright, right? Why are you stopping me? Let me go, please!’ , and he falls down on his knees, gasping a little. Both Suga and Daichi get down on their knees as well and hold him in their arms. Daichi looked like he was trying to go in his ‘Reliable Senpai’ mode but he just couldn’t. He was a reliable senpai but dammit he was 18 too. And this, this was too much to handle. Tears started freely flowing from his eyes as he tried his hardest to comfort Tsukishima.
But Suga, Suga had not reacted at all. He was shocked, and worried and didn’t know what was happening and didn’t want to know. He was just numbly staring at Tsukishima who was gasping for air, was hyperventilating, eyes wild while still trying to get free from their clutches and Daichi who it seemed was trying very hard to not cry but his eyes had a different opinion. Suga still clutched tightly at Tsukishima’s shoulder, and still hugged both of them as he changed his position when Tsukishima went limp. This was just surreal, like a dream. This was a dream. He was going to wake up anytime now and realise he was late for his morning practice. Any time now.
After what seemed like hours or maybe they were minutes, one of the paramedics came out. He looked at the trio of young boys hugging each other and and hesitated. Suga however spotted him and got up first.
‘Is there an adult in the house or nearby?’
Suga shook his head to say no.
‘Okay, I need you to be calm okay.’
Suga nodded. He was still so numb. He felt he wouldn’t ever feel any emotion but calm.
‘I am sorry but your friend died before we came in. We have already informed the police who are on their way. Don’t worry, they just need to check the scene okay. Once they are done, we will shift him to the mortuary. Can you call anyone else right now? His family, your family, anyone?’
Suga, Suga couldn’t react. He couldn’t talk. He was frozen. His eyes had gone wide. He was still feeling numb but it was slowly getting thawed by the rising panic. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He tried again but nothing. And then suddenly he was gasping for air. He could feel the panic, the lack of air but he felt like his mind had split and his 2nd part was calmly sitting in the corner of his brain watching himself going through this.
The paramedic immediately made him sit down and tried to calm him. Daichi wanted to help but he was sitting with Tsukishima. He didn’t hear what the paramedic said, but he had an idea that he then immediately shoved down. Because no.
Tsukishima was now staring at the ground. He looked zoned out but he had tears flowing down his face. He didn’t seem to be aware about anything. He wasn’t aware of Suga’s panic or Daichi’s hand rubbing his back. He just looked numb.
Another paramedic came from the room and took the scene in. She then kneeled down next to Daichi and asked, ‘Is there anyone we can call who could come in right now? Any adult, your friend’s family?’
Daichi remembered that Yamaguchi’s parents were on a business trip and oh god they would have to call them and tell them about this.
All he could think of was one person at that time. So he nodded a yes and got up while the paramedic sat besides Tsukishima. He picked up his phone from the table and called Ukai