epilogue

                                    

                                          
tw: explicit language.
                          
•
                          
the float serve passed over the net, leaving the opposing team's libero scrambling to dive for the ball. he fell too short.
                          
the whistle blew, the referee pointing in the direction of the black uniformed crows.  cheering erupted in the fan section, and the server inhaled deeply before opening dark chocolate eyes.  
                          
accepting the ball from the second year wing spiker, he goes behind the white line, getting in a position he's nearly memorized on any court.  the teenager bounces the ball a few times, exhaling through his nose.  the blue and yellow ball was in his hand.  the other team was in ready positions.  
                          
the score read 27 : 28.
                          
match point.  
                          
tadashi yamaguchi tossed the ball up, watching it before snapping his arm forward.  his serve became his greatest asset in these past two years, pushing him further and further up the ranks to eventually land him in the glorified position of having one of the nastiest float ball serves in japanese high school volleyball. 
                          
the ball floated, living up to its name, up and over the net.  the libero was watching it with laser eyes, getting under it before hit the ground.  yamaguchi exhales in mild annoyance, moving up from behind the line to help his team receive the next play.  
                          
the setter dumped it at the last second.  kageyama's leg caught the ball before it fell, lifting it up.  one of the second years got under it, setting it towards their prized player.  
                          
hinata flew like a crow, his arm back and his eyes following the ball before his arm flew forward.  middle blockers were already there, but karasuno's decoy didn't let up.  
                          
he wasn't their only prized player.  
                          
a surprise attacker jumped up.  tsukishima's blond hair blew lightly with the amount of air he got.  the middle blocker slammed the ball down with all the power he had, it immediately crashing into the opposing team's court side before ricocheting off into the air.  
                          
the karasuno team broke out in loud cheering and celebration, their fan section in all out pandaemonium.  the other team was in a stand still as karasuno celebrated and embraced each other, still staring at the spot that tsukishima had hit the ball on their side.  
                          
•••
                          
yamaguchi gladly accepted the trophy that he had once watched sawamura accept.  he bent his head down for the spring prelims medal, watching his team receive their own.  it wasn't long until they all had to go in front of their audience and thank them.  
                          
straightening himself next to tsukishima, his eyes would pick out familiar faces.  all of his classmates and friends.  his parents, akiteru and mrs tsukishima.  the original third years and second years.  other former opponents who came with their former teammates.  oh, and an smirking face that caught yamaguchi's eyes especially.  yamaguchi smiled widely back.  
                          
this was his last match as the karasuno boys' volleyball club's captain, and he couldn't have asked for a better sound off than the cheers and embrace from his teammates, from his second family.  
                          
he finally felt at peace.  
                          
•••
                          
his coach took the trophy so he didn't need to hold it the entire time.  after being relieved of the heavy prize, yamaguchi found a waiting tsukishima at the exit door.  he didn't look around to watch the defeated team leave; yamaguchi had other things on his mind.  
                          
tsukishima pats yamaguchi on the back, a silent good job that needed no words.  yamaguchi returned the action, the two seeing their families and s.o.-s standing next to each other.  yamaguchi ran ahead of his best friend, taking his parents by surprise with a large and sweaty hug.  
                          
tsukishima followed behind, hugging his mother and ducking a nuggie from akiteru.  his attention turned to his boyfriend, the rooster-headed university student smirking before pulling the blond into a side hug and kissing his cheek.  
                          
the tsukishimas and kuroo disappeared out from view with yamaguchi's parents.  tsukishima waited for his best friend by the door, but gave him and his boyfriend privacy.
                          
yamaguchi turned to the bottle blond, who gave him a tight hug once he had the other's attention.  "my favorite captain is all grown up," terushima snickers into the crook of yaamguchi's neck.  
                          
the olive-haired teen smiles into the dyed blond hair, taking in the minty scent from the older's hair products.  terushima finally pulls away to kiss the other on the lips, laughing gleefully afterwards.  yamaguchi didn't even gasp or look around in worry if anyone saw; he was used to the terushima's enormous amount of pda.  
                          
"ice cream tonight, yuuji?"
                          
"anything for you, tadashi." 
                          
•••
                          
the two teenagers sat on those famous swings, a place they kept coming back to even after two years tonight.  they already had their ice cream from their favorite café.  they held hands between the two swings, enjoying each other's company and reminding themselves of all the time they've sent late at night in this park.  
                          
"so?"
                          
"so?" yamaguchi repeats in a more questioning form, looking at his boyfriend.  terushima wasn't wearing his yellow hoodie anymore, but he was still yamaguchi's boy in yellow.  terushima smirks at the younger, tightening his grip on the olive-haired teen's hand.  
                          
"thoughts of uni?"
                          
"mm, about that.  i've already agreed on a scholarship," yamaguchi replies, looking up at the star-filled sky.  terushima noticeably winces at the sentence, but he plasters a smile on his face. 
                          
"oh, really?  which school?"
                          
"i don't remember.  what's your school called?"
                          
"it's- no.." terushima's eyebrows furrow, thinking.  yamaguchi giggles, looking back at his boyfriend.  
                          
"yes."
                          
terushima jumped up, pulling yamaguchi's hand with him.  the younger yelped in surprise, and a gush of sorrys split out of terushima's mouth.  "i just- i wasn't expecting-" he stammers, his relationship awkwardness showing.  
                          
yamaguchi pulls the shorter closer by an arm around his waist, and presses their foreheads towards.  terushima gulps, swallowing down more stumbling words and looking up into dark brown brown eyes he memorized by now.  
                          
"wherever you go, i will follow.  i've said it a million times, and i'll say it again.  i never go back on my word," yamaguchi whispers, his breath coffee scented.  terushima's cheeks rise in a smile, yamaguchi mimicking it instantly.  
                          
"never doubted you for a second, freckles."
                          
the boy in yellow pulls the freckled beaut down, connecting their bodies at their mouths.  the two enjoyed the intimate moment with one another, with their bodies fitted together like a finally complete puzzle as the stars and moons shone down on them.  
                          
they really were fucking perfect.  
                          
~~~
                          
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