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Red, red, red, faster! Shouyou huffed in exasperation at how slowly the streetlights worked in this city. He was already late, so late he was almost ashamed to show up at all. What kind of a boyfriend was he to make Yuu wait so long? A crappy one, for sure. Finally the light turned green, and Shouyou almost jumped forward, rushing right before the stopping cars.
Shouyou pushed his way through the crowd of people in front of him until he finally broke through and then he was sprinting across the intersection, checking his phone again before remembering it was dead, and then angrily shoving it back into his pocket. The loud screeching of tires and startled screams behind him were the only warning he got before something slammed into his side, knocking the breath from his lungs and then he was on the ground, body aching, vision blurry.
People began to gather around him, looking down with horror in their eyes and saying words that Shouyou couldn’t make out. His vision started to tunnel and Shouyou silently laughed, hoping that Yuu wouldn’t be too angry that they’d have to cancel their date. Then everything went black.
Yuu was waiting. Long. It wasn't that he minded much. Shouyou was often late, but he always showed up, no matter how much time it took, so Yuu learned to be patient.
The wind picked up and Yuu pushed his face deeper into the plush, red, scarf that Shouyou had made for him last Christmas after Yachi taught him to knit. It wasn't perfect, holes were scattered throughout and a few sections were different in length, but Yuu didn't care as long as he got to see Shouyou's beautiful smile light up his face when he saw it around Yuu's neck.
He checked his phone again - no new messages. With a sigh he was about to put it back into his pocket, the cold wind biting at his bare hand enough to make him shiver, but stopped at the insistent buzzing crawling up his fingers. Yuu frowned a little at the unknown number and accepted the call, pulling his scarf down to uncover his mouth to talk.
"Yes?"
"Is this Nishinoya Yuu?" A soft female voice questioned. Yuu's eyebrow rose slightly at the question.
"Yes, this is he, can I ask who's calling?"
"I'm from Yamanaka Hospital."
There were cars flashing past him, people walking and talking all around him, but Yuu's eyes froze, glued unblinkingly to an insignificant point on the other side of the street, as if it could keep him stable.
"Wh-what is this about?" his voice broke on the first word, but he didn't care. It wasn't what he thought, it couldn't be...
"Hinata Shouyou was admitted into our care twenty minutes ago, your number was listed under his emergency contacts."
Yuu's hand tightened around his phone. Shouyou, his Shouyou, was in the hostpital.
"Wh-what happened?" Yuu asked shakily.
His throat felt like it was closing and his legs were trembling, but he couldn't stay there so he started walking, slowly at first, then he was sprinting. Running so fast that he almost didn't register the words that came over the phone, words that made his spinning world slam to a halt.
"I'm sorry Nishinoya-san. The damage to his head and lungs was to extensive. Hinata-san didn't make it."
Didn't make it. Shouyou... didn't make it. Yuu's vision blurred with tears - or was the world suddenly losing colours? - and he didn't even feel when his knees hit the ground, only the cold, cold snow melting in his hand as he weakly tried to support himself.
The line was still connected, as if the woman was waiting for something.
"He's-" Yuu swallowed, unable to voice the thought that stuck in his throat, choking the breath out of him.
"Dead," the voice on the other end said, the finality of it piercing through Yuu's heart. "I'm sorry, Nishinoya-san."
The skies were a fitting grey when Yuu made his way towards the building that the ceremony was being held at. Quiet whispers were all that Yuu could hear as he entered, refusing to look up and see Shouyou smiling back at him from a damn photograph, but looking down was worse. Natsu, having noticed him immediately, ran and gripped the legs of his pants, grabbing the fabric with her tiny hands like it was the only thing keeping her upright. Yuu could feel his face contorting at the bright orange hair so similar to Shouyou's, and then he was looking at a tear streaked face and he nearly broke all over again.
He bit the inside of his cheek to stop the tears from flowing and knelt before Natsu, without care for the pants of his suit. He hated it anyway. Hated that he had to wear it, hated why he had to wear it, hated the day he had to buy it... Yuu reached out his arms and brought Natsu closer, hugging her as tight as if it was Shouyou himself. She wept quietly, as if afraid to raise her voice in the ringing silence of the funeral house, and Yuu couldn't fault her. He wanted to run away from there, leave and pretend everything was fine, but how could he when the love of his life was right there. Dead. Nothing but a photograph and smoking incense.
Yuu felt a hand rest gently on his shoulder and he looked up at Shouyou's mother giving him a gentle smile. She didn't say anything as she took Natsu into her arms, holding her tight to her chest, and Yuu didn't say anything either. There was nothing that either of them could say to make any of this better.
He tore his eyes away from his almost family and looked towards were most people were gathered paying their respects. He swallowed with difficulty. Was it an open casket? If it was... Yuu wasn't sure he wanted to see Shouyou's lifeless face, the closed eyes, absent smile, unmoving lips... but on the other hand, this would be the last time he will ever see it. If he doesn't do this now, he will never get another chance.
Looking back at Shouyou's mother, he received a nod of encouragement and he stood up. His feet felt heavy, every step seemed to be ripping apart his heart more and more. With a hint of disgust he noticed how people parted before him, even the teammates from the old Karasuno volleyball team let him pass by without a word. For the first time since that phone call, Yuu really felt the loneliness that was yet to come.
Yuu's eyes finally came to rest on the casket. Closed. It was closed, he'd never have the chance to look at Shouyou again. Pictures never did him justice, and the one staring at him on the alter seemed to mock him. He couldn't take it anymore, this wasn't supposed to happen, they were supposed to be happy. He was going to buy Shouyou a ring and then they were going to spend the rest of their damn lives together but now, now there was no chance.
No.
No, Yuu wouldn't accept that, he refused. There had to be something he could do. He'd do anything, anything, for more time with Shouyou.
Just as he thought that, the world around him seemed to pause. He paid no attention to it, in the recent days it happened more and more often as his mind tried to cope with the loss. The slight chill in the air was normal too, it was winter after all. But when the fingers he tenderly placed on the hard wood of the casket started frosting over with a thin layer that froze them to the mahogany below, Yuu's eyes widened in alert. The puffs of hot air from his mouth blurred his vision and he blinked once, looking around in confusion. Everyone seemed to be frozen, as if the same frost crawling up his hand overtook their whole bodies. With raising panic, Yuu looked around only then noticing a figure he could not recognize.
The ethereal figure that had appeared across the room began to make its way towards Yuu, its footsteps made no sound and its golden cat-like eyes stared unblinkingly into his own. Yuu couldn't help but take a step back as it came closer and when it was only a few feet away he held up his hands in a foolish attempt to keep it from coming closer.
"Who are you?" Yuu's voice came out quietly along with puffs of hot air that soon faded into the chilled room.
Flinching when the figure smiled menacingly, sharp teeth flashing as it laughed, causing Yuu to want to cover his ears from the high pitched sound. The figure's face quickly fell back into a neutral expression before a voice like smoke passed through nearly unmoving lips.
"You said you'd do anything for more time. Isn't that correct, Nishinoya Yuu?"
Yuu wanted to deny it, but... he did, didn't he? In his head, he wailed and raged, yearning for something that could never come to pass. He looked at the figure before him, the fear paralyzing him worse than cold.
"I want him back," he whispered, lowering his hands. Could this... creature give him Shouyou back? "This isn't fair. We had our whole lives before us-" Yuu's voice broke as another wave of regret and bitterness took his breath away. "Can-can you give me more time with him? Is that... Is that even possible?"
He trembled, looking straight into glowing gold eyes. The corners of the creature's mouth lifted slightly at Yuu's question.
"I can give you time."
Yuu's heart jolted, and unknowingly he stepped closer to the creature.
"But of course there will be a price," it practically purred into Yuu's ear, sending a shiver down his spine, but he refused to back away.
This was his chance to see Shouyou again and no matter what, he was taking it. He needed Shouyou. Needed to see him, hear him, touch him. His world was bleak and stifling without Shouyou in it.
"Anything," Yuu stared unblinkingly into golden eyes. "I'll do anything. I don't care about the price or the consequences, as long as you give me more time with Shouyou."
"Anything? Are you sure?" the smile on the creature's face was feral and golden eyes gleamed maliciously.
Yuu had no reservations calling it by its name - a demon. He looked back at the casket. Below the lid, motionless on the silky cloth was Shouyou. Dead. And he had the power to bring him back.
"What do you want?" he asked quietly, already expecting the answer.
"Your soul," the demon purred, licking its lips as if the very word tasted as delicious as what it represented. "...for a month with your beloved."
Yuu's head snapped towards the demon. "What? This isn't fair!"
Gold eyes narrowed. "Take it or leave it, this is the deal I offer. You have three seconds to make a decision." It smiled again. "Three."
Yuu looked back at the casket, feeling the panic grip him by the throat. A month... A month was nothing. It was too little time. He couldn't-
"Two."
A month... It was still better than what he had now, which was what? A cold casket and a photograph.
"On-"
"Yes!" he shouted. "I agree, okay! My s-soul for a month with Shouyou."
A chuckle cold as the air around them made all hair on Yuu's body stand on edge.
"Then it is sealed. Meet your fate, Nishinoya Yuu."
The demon disappeared in a swirl of smoke and everything went dark.
"Yuu! Are you alright?"
A worried voice pulled Yuu closer to consciousness. It felt like it had been years since he'd heard that voice.
Sitting up suddenly, Yuu opened his eyes and blinked at the sudden harsh light but he refused to close his eyes now, not when his light was finally in front of him again. Shouyou looked at him, worry clear in his amber eyes.
"Shouyou, you- you're alive." Yuu breathed out, reaching with trembling hands to cup Shouyou's face. Shouyou slapped Yuu's hands away and pushed his forehead against Yuu's, letting out a sigh.
"Don't you think I should be the one saying that? What happened? Why are you lying on the ground?" Shouyou questioned quietly.
Yuu opened his mouth to tell Shouyou about what had to have been a dream, until a familiar figure appeared, standing silently over Shouyou's shoulder. Eyes widening Yuu grasped Shouyou's arms tightly, wishing to pull him away as quickly as possible. Shouyou glanced over his shoulder and Yuu held his breath, but when Shouyou just looked back at Yuu in question, Yuu knew that Shouyou couldn't see the demon.
It wasn't a dream, Yuu realized and his heart sank.
Only a month. He only had a single month with Shouyou.
"Yuu?" Shouyou questioned again, this time the worry even clearer in his voice, and Yuu swallowed thickly, looking back to him.
"I'm fine, it's okay. As long as you're here, it's okay," he said, arms reaching around Shouyou to hug him close.
It was cold, just as cold as in the funeral house, but then he didn't have Shouyou this close. The warmth spreading through his body was real, and Shouyou was real. He was alive. And that was all Yuu wanted.
Glancing over his boyfriend's shoulder, he noticed the demon lingering in sight and nodded at it - the deal was sealed. He blinked, relishing more in the feeling of having his beloved back, and when he opened his eyes again the creature was gone without a trace.
"You're kind of weird, Yuu," Shouyou's voice over his ear made his heart skip a beat. He never thought he would hear it again...
"You made me wait here for too long, I must have frozen off some brain cells," he tried to grumble jokingly, but the sheer happiness of fingers running through his hair made him smile in Shouyou's clothed shoulder.
"Let's get some coffee then, and I promise to warm them up for you later, okay?" Shouyou laughed, and Yuu tightened his hold around him before reluctantly letting go.
"Sounds like a plan," he put on a smile, standing up.
A month now seemed incredibly short.
It was quiet in the whole house, lazy afternoon in warm sheets and Shouyou right there by his side, head on the pillow and probably fighting off sleep. Yuu was laying right behind him, one arm encircling Shouyou's waist, the other sneaked under his neck to better embrace him. Everything smelled like Shouyou and Yuu was so relaxed it was difficult to stay awake. But he did, the thought of how many more days like this he could have efficiently chased away the sleep.
"What are you thinking about?" Shouyou asked, his voice soft.
"You," he answered truthfully, hugging the other closer.
"What about me?"
Yuu sighed quietly, hiding his face in the back of Shouyou's neck.
"How much I love you," he whispered, almost wishing Shouyou wouldn't hear it. "How much I don't want to lose you."
He felt Shouyou tense and then pull away, until he was free enough to turn towards him. Yuu escaped with his eyes from the intense amber drilling into him.
"Why would you lose me?"
"I don't know, does it matter?" he tried to shrug, which was pretty difficult while laying down. "I just don't want to. That's it."
"Then you won't," Shouyou said, and he did so with such certainty that Yuu had to believe him.
He smiled. And then pulled the precious sun of his life into a sweet kiss. When they parted, Yuu's fingers lingered on Shouyou's face, caressing his cheek tenderly. They had only a month... There was so much he wanted to do, so much they have planned for and so much they didn't have a chance to even think of...
The thought hit him suddenly. The fingers on Shouyou's face froze and Yuu stared into bright amber eyes, full of happiness and love.
"Hey, Shouyou?" he asked, baffled by how easy it suddenly was to say the words. "Do you want to marry me?"
They had only a month, but Yuu would make sure they would live it to the fullest.
"This is the stupidest movie I've ever seen, Yuu," Shouyou laughed, body shaking in Yuu's hold.
"That's exactly why I picked it, Shouyou," Yuu purred into Shouyou's ear before biting down, relishing in the small gasp Shouyou released.
Shouyou quickly turned around to straddle Yuu's lap, running his hands through his hair until he reached the nape of his neck and grabbed hold, tilting Yuu's face slightly before slanting his mouth against the other. Soft lips pushed gently against his own in a slow teasing manner and Shouyou nipped gently at his bottom lip, asking for entrance which Yuu gladly gave. Their tongues met, massaging against one another, increasingly growing more heated as the kiss progressed, until they were battling for dominance and Shouyou was grinding his clothed erection against Yuu's stomach.
Yuu pulled away to breathe, peppering kisses along Shouyou's neck and groaning when Shouyou grinded his ass against Yuu.
"You're a damn tease," Yuu growled out, gripping Shouyou's ass and forcing him to wrap his legs around Yuu's waist as they made their way to the bedroom, movie long forgotten.
"You love it," Shouyou laughed, before biting gently at Yuu's pulse point.
Yuu couldn't deny it.
Yuu woke up slowly, his hands groped the bed in search of Shouyou, eyes still closed, wishing for the extra heat that Shouyou always provided . His eyes shot open when all he felt was the cold mattress, and he sat up, quickly pushing the covers off of his body in a panic. Was it all a dream? Shouyou alive, in his arms... No, it couldn't be, he was there, he had to be. The demon promised him a month and only a week had passed since then, it wasn't the time yet, this couldn't be happening. Fear and dread gripping him by the throat he stood up when the door to the bathroom opened, revealing Shouyou with a towel around his head.
Shouyou looked at Yuu, smiling before his look quickly turned to worry.
"What happened, you look pale, are you not feeling well?"
Yuu, who had finally been able to breathe again when his eyes fell on Shouyou, let himself relax back onto the bed, running a tired hand down his face.
"Just a nightmare," he lied.
The mattress bent under the additional weight, as Shouyou sat next to him. A warm hand gently pried his away and amber eyes looked into his worriedly.
"You haven't been yourself the past week, what's going on?" Shouyou questioned softly.
"It's nothing, Shouyou," Yuu looked down at their intertwined fingers, running his thumb along Shouyou's. He was never able to lie to those amber eyes. "I just haven't been sleeping too well," Yuu said, only half lying.
Ever since Shouyou had come back Yuu would stay up late, worrying constantly that the second he fell asleep, he'd wake up and Shouyou would be gone.
"Are you sure it's just that?" Shouyou was strangely perceptive at times and now the scrutiny was making Yuu more than uncomfortable.
To change the subject, he sat up and kissed him - slowly, with all the feelings bottling inside him, as if it was their last kiss. It quickly turned more and more passionate, until Yuu felt Shouyou's hand over his heart, stopping him from going any further.
"Okay, okay. I understand you don't want to talk about it now," Shouyou said, breathing faster than usual from the kiss, and then that look was in his eyes. The one that Yuu often saw on him during their high school games and it never failed to send shivers down his spine. "But you will tell me eventually, Yuu."
It was hard to look away from that intense stare, but he did it, he forcefully tore his eyes away.
"Yeah, I will," he yielded, hoping he wouldn't have to follow through with it.
He leaned his head on Shouyou's shoulder. The fresh smell of soap and shampoo tickled his nose, and he had a brief thought he should shower too.
"What's for breakfast?"
Shouyou settled down next to Yuu on the couch, handing him a glass of juice while casually sipping his own.
"Tanaka invited us to go out Friday night. He said pretty much everyone from Karasuno is going, except Daichi since he's away on business," Shouyou said, before picking up the remote and flipping to a new station. "It's gonna be at the same bar we went to last time, around seven, so we should leave here around half past six to make it on time."
Yuu started at the screen unblinkingly.
"What if we don't go?" he asked, voice barely audible over the hum of the TV.
Shouyou turned to him, surprise clear on his face. "What do you mean 'we don't go'? Everyone's gonna be there, we have to go!"
Yuu's hand tightened around his glass, the contents dripping down from the side onto his hand. "I thought we could just watch a movie at home or something. Have a quiet night."
Shouyou rolled his eyes, smiling slightly. "That's what we've been doing for the past three weeks, Yuu, we should go out. Hang out with our friends before we turn into hermits!"
You don't understand... Yuu wanted to say. But he didn't.
"What's wrong with wanting to be alone with the person you love?" he asked, still refusing to look at Shouyou.
Only after the words left his mouth, he heard the actual bitterness biting through his voice and almost grimaced. A glance at Shouyou told him, he heard it too.
"There's nothing wrong with it Yuu," Shouyou said, sounding confused, amber eyes looking at him with the same worried expression he'd been getting every night when Shouyou would wake up to find Yuu unable to sleep. "We spend most of our time together, and I love it, but it's been a while since we saw everyone so I think it would be nice if we went."
"And I'd rather not," Yuu grit his teeth, stubborn.
He would give Shouyou the world on a golden platter, the deal with the demon a fine example of how much Shouyou meant to him, but this... He wouldn't bow down on this one. He didn't want to waste a single second of the last few days that were left to him. He had to make them count.
Shouyou's glass slammed down onto the coffee table in front of them before he rose to his feet looking down at Yuu, face twisted in anger.
"I don't know what the hell has been going on with you! You've refused to go out every time I've asked, you don't sleep anymore without those damn pills, and you refuse to tell me anything!" Shouyou's voice reverberated through his chest, and Yuu knew he should feel bad but he didn't, all he felt was more anger bubbling to the surface.
"And I told you it's nothing so stop pestering me about it already!"
He stood up too. It was slight, but the difference in their heights ticked him off even more.
"All I'm asking from you is to stay here with me, is that too much for you? You can't even do this for me when I--" he stopped, hand holding the glass trembling and spilling some juice on the carpet. He was about to tell Shouyou the truth and that... that wouldn't do. "Forget it," he said, setting the glass on the table and turning away to leave the room.
"Where the hell do you think you're going, Nishinoya Yuu!" Hinata practically growled out, grasping Yuu's shoulder hard enough to leave bruises and spinning him to look straight into furious eyes. "I'm fucking sick of this! Why won't you just tell me what's going on?!"
Yuu didn't respond, face morphing into one of horror as he watched tears begin to pool in Shouyou's eyes.
"Why-why won't you just tell me, Yuu?" Shouyou practically begged, tears dripping down his face, joining the spilled juice on the carpet when they fell.
Yuu reached out his hands to wipe the tears away from Shouyou's face, but the other stepped away. It hurt, Yuu had to admit. Briefly, he entertained the prospect of telling Shouyou the truth, but... Making him suffer along was never his plan. Shouyou was better off not knowing.
"I can't," Yuu said quietly, Shouyou's every sob another knife plunging into his heart. "I just can't..."
Shouyou's sobs continued and Yuu so desperately wanted to reach out and pull Shouyou into his arms.
"What kind of relationship is this then, Yuu? Because you obviously don't think I'm trustworthy enough if you're this unwilling to tell me what's going on with you," Shouyou whispered out as his sobs died down.
Yuu felt his heart clench and his hand began to raise, mouth opening to say something, but he couldn't find any words that could make this better. Shouyou looked at him, watery eyes hardening at Yuu's silence.
"You don't want to go to the meetup?" Shouyou asked, with angry movements wiping away his tears.
Yuu couldn't take his gaze away even if he tried. He didn't mean for this to happen, not at all. But it was for the better, for Shouyou's own good. Yuu couldn't protect him from dying that time, so now he would protect him this way. Even if it hurt Shouyou in the process.
"No," he answered.
"So be it," Shouyou's voice was harsh, anger still bubbling under the surface, and Yuu wanted to stop him when Shouyou turned to leave.
He didn't.
Yuu couldn't see anything through the dense black fog surrounding his body. He kept glancing around as panic began to set in, making his breaths come out in quick gasps. Suddenly from behind cutting through the fog came a demon's - the demon's - menacing laugh, and Yuu whipped around finding nothing there, only to have ice cold fingers ghost across his throat. Yuu stumbled back from the contact, tripping over his own feet and, in a futile attempt to catch himself, he found the ground had disappeared. And then he was falling.
The cold laughter still ringing in this ears, Yuu shot up in the bed, beads of sweat making him shiver as they rolled down his back and face. Eyes widened in fear, he touched his throat. Soon he will feel that for real. Not just a nightmare, but a real grip of death. He swallowed thickly, looking at the bedside clock to occupy his mind with something, anything else.
Shouyou was gone, the room cold and empty, red digits blinking half past midnight. Today... Today's the day I die, he thought.
Yuu felt panic set in, more panic than he'd felt since he'd first received the phone call from the hospital. He couldn't die, not without seeing Shouyou one last time. Yuu didn't want to die alone, he didn't want to die fighting with Shouyou. He needed to tell him how sorry he was for causing Shouyou so much pain and how much he loved him.
This was his last chance. He had to make it count. Quickly scrambling about the room, he put some random clothes on, threw on his winter jacket and run out off the apartment. He considered waiting for the bus, but the place the team was meeting at wasn't far away, so instead he decided to make a run for it. Every second counted, with death stepping closer and closer, reaching his hand for him.
The cold winter air whipped around him as Yuu ran down the dimly lit streets, not watching where he was going other than forward. Yuu bumped into people who would yell at his retreating figure, but he paid them no attention. Nothing other than seeing Shouyou mattered, so his feet pushed him forward as fast as he could go, until he was practically sprinting in the direction of the bar Shouyou had mentioned. Yuu almost didn't notice a shock of orange hair across the street from him, but there he was, standing and chatting happily to Kageyama. Not bothering to check his surroundings Yuu ran into the street, paying attention only to Shouyou's bright smile.
He was almost across the street, so close to reaching the pavement on the other side, when the light suddenly blinked from green to red. Everything happened so fast, Yuu could have sworn it took only one breath to end. Under the streetlight stood a smoky figure of the demon, gold eyes glowing with unhindered pleasure.
Tires screeched on the concrete, a piercing honk stung his ears, and Shouyou's terrified voice screamed "Yuu!"
The pain was momentary as the car slammed into his side, the impact throwing him a few meters away. Struggling to keep his eyes open, Yuu wished to see Shouyou's face once again. Just once... Gold gleamed in the darkness, cold creeping into his bones. Not yet, he begged, please. The demon laughed cruelly and everything drowned in darkness.
"Yuu!" Shouyou screamed, his brain unable to wrap around what had just happened, but his body moved on its own until he was kneeling on the bloodstained concrete.
There was too much blood, way too much blood. Hinata could faintly hear Kageyama yelling into his phone for an ambulance but all he could focus on was Yuu's face, unmoving, the colour slowly draining away and leaving it ghostly pale. Shaking fingers reached out as tears spilled down Shouyou's cheeks, his breath coming out in panicked sobs when he pressed his hands to Yuu's neck, desperately searching for a pulse. A sign that he was going to be alright.
Shouyou found nothing and his heart clenched in his chest.
"No, no, no," Shouyou moaned, sobbing brokenly as he pulled one of Yuu's hands gently to his chest, grasping with all his strength. "Don't take Yuu. Please don't take him from me, please. I-I can't live with this, I don't want to live with this! Please, I'll do anything!"
Shouyou was so busy repeating his mantra over and over again that he hardly noticed how everything around him seemed to freeze. The driver from the car that hit Yuu was getting out of the car, but stopped bent weirdly. Kageyama's mouth was open, but no noise was coming from him. The busy street was quiet, people and cars immobile, as if under a spell. Shouyou, however, was too focused on Yuu's face. The cold bit into his skin, but all he cared about was the form laying before him motionless.
"No, no, no, no," he repeated, throat choked with dread. "Please, God, if you're listening, don't take him away. I'll do anything you want, just please..."
A cold, menacing laugh made Shouyou glance up in shock, amber eyes meeting gold.
"Will you, really?"