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For Japan, it started in Tokyo and spread so quickly no one was prepared for it. It was on the news then suddenly the news was quiet.
The world was quiet.
Then the groaning began and the running and shuffling and the undead conquered the streets.
Hinata tried not to cry when Kenma stopped replying to his texts and Kageyama would hold him tight, trying to piece together his…team mate? Friend? He didn’t know, he held onto his Hinata hoping it would make it better.
(It could never get better; Natsu was missing, had been missing for days now. They couldn’t find her corpse, Hinata never wanted to assume the worst.)
The Miyagi teams stuck together for a while until Oikawa’s knee started acting up. The constant walking and running was hard on the setter and soon, he couldn’t keep up with them. Iwaizumi elected to stay with him until the end (whatever that end was). His guilt at leaving Oikawa for university suddenly eating him up and he couldn’t leave him behind.
He couldn’t leave Tooru behind, especially now.
(So many things left unsaid, so many questions still unanswered.) Aoba Johsai stayed behind after that, unwilling to leave their captain behind. Faithful sailors sinking with their ship.
Karasuno said goodbye. And good luck.
Noya found a house that was pretty secure and empty (secure enough for Asahi to give his okay) and the team stayed the night. Everyone was too tired to speak much, even the resident Guardian Deity was silent. He curled himself tight into a ball against Asahi, seeking the warmth that had left the world.
No more summers of laughter and volleyball with Tanaka, no more Saeko-nee telling them to be quieter and more considerate of the neighbours (even if she was just as loud). No more Gari gari-kun and warm sunlight. And almost no more Asahi.
The ace’s warm arms were strong and solid against Noya’s small form; protective and present. Asahi didn’t want to think about the what-if’s. What if the zombies never happened? What if they won the spring high tournament?
(What if he and Noya never made up?)
Asahi pressed another kiss to Yuu’s soft hair, wild and flat against his head without any product. He’d done so much protecting on and off-court. It was time to return the favour.
Hinata and Ennoshita started making shrines a while back to remember the team mates they’d lost. Everyone else pretended that they never existed.
(It was too hard to remember.)
Too hard to remember the way Yamaguchi's freckles would stretch as he smiled at Tsukishima. Too hard to remember the way Shimizu made the Fly banner. Too hard to remember Ukai and Takeda always being there for them. Too hard to remember Tanaka.
Oh gods, why did they take Tanaka?
(Tsukishima would scoff at the shrines but always left something for Yamaguchi. Even when he had nothing left, a part of him would always stay behind.)
Tsukishima wanted to yell at Hinata the first time he made a shrine. As if he wasn’t the one who cradled Tadashi as he went. The one who held onto him until they had to pry Tadashi’s body from his grip. The one who shot him through the head when he turned. The one who could have saved him, if only he had run faster, pulled harder, told him the truth.
(He’d always love Tadashi. Just. It was too late to hear him say it too.)
When his arms were empty, Asahi panicked; Noya was never too far away from him anymore. He quickly got up and grabbed the gun beside him. He wasn’t with any of the others, most of them were asleep but Daichi was keeping watch nearby. Tsukishima had cried himself to sleep again (everyone pretended not to notice), and Kageyama was stroking Hinata’s hair as the boy fitfully slept. Ennoshita and Suga were cuddled close together, desperately seeking warmth that wasn’t coming. Where was Noya?
(His heart started racing, oh please please please let him be safe.)
Then he heard sobbing.
He was at the makeshift shrine holding his knees close to his chest; he whispered “Tanaka, Tanaka…” over and over again, as if the mantra would bring his best friend back. It was dangerous outside and Asahi picked up the libero and carried him back in. He held the guardian in his arms until his breathing slowed and he fell asleep.
Asahi wondered if he’d ever see Noya’s smile again.
(Maybe one day, he hoped.)
There was an iPad in the house; it barely had any battery left but it was still working. Suga picked it up and looked through the photos of the family that once owned it. He smiled when he saw two kids making faces at the camera, so happy and carefree.
(He wanted that once. Kids.)
A tear dropped onto the iPad’s surface, blurring the kids’ faces and a sob erupted from within him. He let himself think of the family he and Daichi could have built. Maybe not in Japan but in Sweden, in America…they could have gotten married, adopted. The tears started coming steadily now and he had to cover his mouth to stop crying so loudly. He didn’t want to wake Noya and Hinata; the two hadn’t been able to sleep well since…well, since they started needing shrines.
(Suga hadn’t been sleeping well either; the fear that Daichi would suddenly disappear always kept him awake.)
Suga jumped when he heard steps, they weren’t shuffling and there wasn’t any moaning but he grabbed the pistol Daichi had handed him earlier.
(He never had to shoot anything yet but Daichi had.)
It was a split second.
It was pain and burning and then the stench of blood and gunpowder.
(Oh shit. Oh SHIT.)
The mouth detached itself from Suga’s wrist as the zombie’s body fell with a clatter. More footsteps and the remnants of the Karasuno team came through the door. Suga was frozen with fear and tears continued flowing down his cheeks. Daichi was the first to recover and took a step forward, questions in his eyes. Koushi met them and Daichi felt his heart shatter; no words came from the two but their faces held everything they wanted to say.
Tsukishima dragged Hinata and Kageyama back through the door and into their sleeping area. Hinata held onto Kageyama as sobs wracked his body. Tsukishima leaned against the wall and tried to look unaffected but tears leaked from his eyes and he hastily swiped them away.
(He’d already lost his family; he couldn’t lose Suga too.)
Noya let Ennoshita lead him to where Hinata and the others were waiting. Asahi spared the couple a glance before nodding and giving them their privacy.
(He hoped he and Noya would never have to – no, that was a selfish thought. Asahi was full of selfish thoughts recently.)
Daichi moved close to Koushi, took the iPad from his hands and laid it on the desk. He opened the music application and let the song play.
In a blink of an eye
Just a whisper of smoke…
Daichi took Koushi’s pale hand in his and asked,
“Can I have this last dance?”
Koushi smiled despite himself, “It’s also our first, Daichi.” But wound this arms around his partner, solid and steady in his arms. Daichi held him close and swayed to the music, “Koushi…Koushi, I knew about the kids. And your plan. I knew.” He pressed a kiss to the ash blonde hair, “I’m so sorry.”
Koushi’s breath hitched and he let loose a sob, he’d never cried so much as he did today.
(What a way to go. Dancing in his lover’s arms.)
“Daichi? Promise me you’ll do it.” He said, laying his head on Daichi’s broad shoulder, “promise you’ll pull the trigger.” Daichi pulled back to look him in the eye, “Koushi, I –” Suga interrupted him, “Daichi, you said if you had to shoot someone, you wouldn’t hesitate.”
Daichi swallowed the painful lump in his throat.
(He never thought he’d have to shoot his Koushi.)
He nodded and gathered Koushi in his arms again; Koushi felt like his blood was on fire and it radiated up his arm and it was spreading fast.
(“I love you, Sawamura Daichi. I love you.”)
He says it again and again until the flames reach his throat and Daichi’s tears can’t soothe the burn he feels inside.
(It takes one bullet. Daichi’s shot too many friends to miss even when his life has gone to pieces. Even when it took him almost a second too long to pull the trigger. The song continues to play in the background but Daichi can’t hear it.)
[I'm gonna love you
Like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna hold you
Like I'm saying goodbye wherever we're standing
I won't take you for granted 'cause we'll never know when
When we'll run out of time so I'm gonna love you
Like I'm gonna lose you
I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you.]
And Koushi slumps against him.