Life Anew

Warning - mentions of attempted suicide and self harm, nothing too graphic
Tsukishima had always loved the soulmate marks as a kid, like many people. The names on his wrists, one whom would be his platonic soulmate and one who would be his romantic soulmate. He didn't know who would belong to what role, but the two names inked in the handwriting of their respective owners made him feel less alone.

Meeting Yamaguchi had come first, of course. They went to the same middle school, where Kei had helped him by stopping some bullies. Back then, they hadn't known each other, but as soon as Yamaguchi had uttered his name Tsukishima knew not to let go. They understood each other in a way that only soulmates could; they were the best of friends despite Tadashi being shy and nervous and Kei being salty.

They stuck together and told each other everything, there were never any secrets. Tsukishima couldn't hide anything from Yamaguchi, and nor Yamaguchi from Tsukishima. There had reached a point though, when they were both old enough to know who they liked and were interested in, and when Yamaguchi admitted he was straight and didn't see Tsukishima as anything more than a friend, and that he was like a brother, that didn't matter so much to him.

The problems had started when they made it to Karasuno, where they seemed to be tangled in some sort of sick and large love triangle. Their captain, Daichi, had the names of his friend Michimiya Yui and Sugawara on their wrists. Yui had Shimizu on her wrist, as well as Daichi, and Shimizu had both Yui and the same name as Yamaguchi's other soulmate, Yachi Hitoka.

The situation was only more mangled later on. As it turned out, Hinata had Kozume Kenma and Kageyama Tobio on his wrists. When the pair met, it turned out that Kenma had Kuroo (Tsukishima's soulmate) and Hinata's name. Kageyama had Oikawa and Hinata's names, and Oikawa had Kageyama and Iwazumi's name.

Everything seemed to collide when it got to the training camp, which Yachi came on. Michimiya and Shimizu were together, as were Daichi and Sugawara, leaving Yamaguchi and Yachi to finally get to talk more as they were soulmates. The problem? Oikawa was with Iwazumi, Hinata and Kageyama were an item, and even worse, Kozume Kenma and Kuroo Tetsurou were one as well. No matter what, his supposed soulmates weren't his and never would be.

Tsukishima was stuck in an irreversible situation. He couldn't and wouldn't break up their relationships for his happiness, and even if he did that would leave someone else as lonely as he was. In this messed up group of connections, he was the odd one out. He was lonely and hurting and so, so alone. That was the first lie he told Yamaguchi, that he was happy and thought it was cool to have so many friends, and that was the first lie that the freckled boy had believed.

He tried his best to avoid Kuroo, and everyone else, covering his wrists with bandaids because he was ashamed to be so alone. Everyone knew about the couples, and it would be best if nobody knew about his wrists either.

But he was also lonely, so when Kuroo invited him to block for them he couldn't help but accept, especially since Kuroo was there. He lied to him, too, saying that he had met his romantic soulmate already and that he just didn't like being teased for his sexuality. Tetsurou, as he asked to be called, was okay with that and fully supportive, not a hint of hurt in those eyes at that. No, he was perfectly happy in a relationship with Kenma.

Nobody understood just how badly he was hurting.

Nobody but three people had realised he wasn't happy like he was acting. Those people; Akaashi Keiji, Hinata Shouyou, and Bokuto Koutarou. Like the guardian angels they were they took him in, never teasing nor judgemental. They were the only reason he made it through the camp, never believing the lies of 'I'm fine' and 'nothing's wrong'.

And so, when he left the camp, he constantly texted Bokuto and Akaashi, the two like older brothers to him as his own brother Akiteru had never been close to him. Hinata was there to cheer him up during the day, the one to distract him from the ache he felt and remind him that soulmate marks didn't determine your friends or partner. They only guided you to who they thought were best, and Tsukishima leaned that the hard way.