Wingless (KuroTsuki)

12

Kei had his eyes closed as he slipped off the edge, feeling the wind whipping around him and the rain on his skin. He didn't want to see the ground coming, he wanted to imagine that he was flying. Yet, all he could think of as he fell was Tetsurou, his loving, smiling face and those gentle kisses and his warm embrace. Had that really been faked? What if he had left behind the one person who loved him, what then? Even if it was real, he didn't deserve someone like that, he was weak, wingless, broken Kei. There was nothing he could do, he had sealed his fate and there was no going back from this now. At least now, he was free-

A jolt was sent through his body as he was plucked from the sky, a pair of arms  wrapped tightly around him and keeping him from falling to his doom. Seconds later they were on the wet grass, back on the ground, and Kei was being held tightly. As he slowly opened up his eyes, though through teary and blurred vision, he could make out Kuroo's face. He didn't hug him back, nor did he pull away. Tsukishima didn't know what to do or say. He didn't even know what he felt, let alone how to explain why he'd jumped off.

Everything that Nohebi's captain had said had seemed so true and made sense, yet seeing the third year sobbing and shaking and clearly terrified... he knew Tetsurou wasn't faking any of that.

That was when the guilt and realisation of what he'd just done began to settle in, and Kei began to sob, clinging tightly to Kuroo and crying loudly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he choked out between sobs, voice so small and scared. The older male had yet to actually say anything, too overwhelmed and overcome with shock and relief. He was running his fingers through Kei's hair, doing whatever he could to comfort him and make sure he wasn't going to leave him.

"I love you," Tetsurou eventually whispered, his voice thick with emotion and so very sad, full of helplessness and almost sounding broken. He was conflicted, not knowing whether Kuroo actually cared about him, but also feeling guilty that he was the reason the man he loved was upset. "Gods, I love you so much, Kei. I thought I was going to lose you, I don't know what I would have done if I lost you."

Kei stiffened, breaking out into more sobs and shaking his head. He let the voices win over once more, spilling out what he thought was the truth before he could stop himself. "You don't need me," he replied quietly, closing his eyes as more violent shakes racked his body. "How can you say you love me? I know I'm just a game to you, so please don't lie and get my hopes up. Please don't force people to be my friends and have everyone pretend to care, please just let me be free."

Tetsurou froze, his heart breaking with every word. More than the weather, he was chilled to the bone seeing the blond so small and looking so broken. "I'm not lying, Kei, I never was. I love you, from the bottom of my heart I love you. What did I do to make you think that I didn't? I've always loved you, I've never lied to you, I promise. Why did you try to leave me, my Moonshine? You know all I want is to love you, to see you happy again? Please let me in, help me to understand," he pleaded, cupping Kei's cheek with one hand, gently brushing his thumb over the wet skin with a touch as light as a feather, as if he would break with any rough treatment.

Tsukishima opened his eyes, seeing love and sadness and fear in those hazel eyes that were usually so bright and warm. And so, going against the voices in his head, he founding himself wanting to believe Kuroo. "If you really love me, kiss me," he whispered, glancing down so as not to meet Tetsurou's gaze. "He asked if you'd ever kissed me, he said that you didn't really want me and that you told everyone to be friends with me, that you only pitied me. That you hadn't kissed me because you didn't actually love me."

"Oh, Kei," Tetsurou whispered, shaking his head. "It wasn't that, it was never because of that. I didn't think you wanted that sort of relationship and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. Whoever it was that told you those things lied to you, my love, I promise you that. If you still want, I can kiss you, but only if you want it. I won't kiss you just to prove a point, I want my and our first kiss to be special for both of us."