"HOLY SHIT, BRUH," Miya Atsumu turned to his middle-blocker friend in surprise at his sudden outburst. "What?" the blond setter narrowed his eyes "Did you forget to do something–?"

"No, no," Suna interrupted him, leaning forward and placing his face into his hands, groaning softly. "I'm–fucking thinking about her," he mumbled into his hands.

Atsumu blinked, surprised by the uncharacteristic confession. Must be the alcohol, he reasoned. "Tsukimi?" he asked for confirmation. Suna nodded drunkenly into his hands.

It was twelve–the kids had already been put to bed, and the rest of the birthday party guests had already departed. Atsumu had lingered behind by Suna's request, the two athletes sipping soju as they watched the moon rise against the sky.

"There's–nothing wrong with that," Atsumu blinked, unsure of what to say. He winced as Suna turned to glare at him angrily. "Yes, there is??" The setter scrunched his nose. "Who, what, when, where why?"

Suna rolled his eyes. "Ochika," he explained monosyllabicly, his amber eyes dull in the dim lights. To his surprise, Atsumu scoffed. "Dude. It's been six years." The setter's tone was unsympathetic–probably a result of the alcohol. "Seven today, actually."

The middle blocker shot him a glare. "It doesn't matter how much time passes," he argued bitterly. "She's always going to be here," he gestured to his heart with a pointed finger. "I can't just... replace her like that. So easily."

Atsumu rolled his eyes. "Look. We both know that I'm shit at feelings, and so are you. But even I know that hey–sometimes, you gotta learn how to slowly let go."

Suna stood up. In the dark, his eyes flashed angrily. "I'm not letting go!"

The setter matched his actions. "Well that's the fuckin' issue, Sunarin!" his words were slightly slurred by the soju. "You're refusing to let go–"

"–Because it's too early–"

"It's been seven fucking years–!"

"That doesn't fucking matter!"

The argument had reached to that of a shouting match. The two adults suddenly paused as they remembered the two children sleeping upstairs. They both sighed, taking a moment to recollect themselves.

"At the end of the day, it's your choice, Rin," Atsumu stepped away, grabbing his keys from the counter. "You can ask for our advice, and we'll give it to you honestly, but if you refuse to listen, that's your problem."

The setter looked back one last time before he exited the threshold.

"And honestly? What do you think Ochika would think?"

The door closed with a heavy thud.

. . .

It took Bokuto and Atsumu several tries to capture Tsukimi's attention, but when they finally did, her green eyes widened with surprise with a touch of weariness.

"Hey..! Bokuto, Miya," she nodded her head to the two boys respectfully as she took off her headphones and turned off her laptop, smiling slightly. "Didn't expect to see you here," her words were honest. She didn't think that the two athletes would even dare to set foot in such a public place, risking the attention of reporters and paparazzi.

"Nice to see you too. And call me Atsumu," the setter smiled down at her as he and his teammates respectively pulled out the two seats beside her and took their seats.

Tsukimi blinked in surprise. Ok. Why am I getting mafia boss vibes here???

Bokuto watched his... acquaintance with large, golden eyes, then laughed. "Don't look so scared, Hoshiko!" he grinned heartily, cheerfully slapping the girl on the back. She winced as she felt his palm make contact with her spine. Note to self: Do not, under any circumstance, anger Bokuto to the point he will slap you in the face.

Atsumu seemed to notice her slight pain and discomfort. "Oi, Kou, yer hurtin' her," he gently scolded his spiker. Bokuto's eyes impossibly widened even more. "Eh?? Oh! Sorry, Tsukimi," he pouted sadly.

The astronomer couldn't help but smile. "It's fine, Bokuto," she assured him. "I'll live." Then, turning to Atsumu, she tilted her head to the side. "Can I help you? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you're here for idle chatter," she stated bluntly.

Atsumu's brown eyes expanded by a fraction before he closed them, chuckling. "Straight to the point, eh?" he shrugged. "Hey, I can respect that." Leaning forward, he situated his arms so that his forearms leaned against the wooden table, supporting his upper-body weight. "I wanted to talk to you about Sunarin," he started off slowly.

Tsukimi's green eyes narrowed charmingly. "...What about him?" she asked cautiously.

Bokuto leaned back in his seat, taking a sip of his drink. "We were wondering if you liked him," he stated bluntly, cheerily. "'Cause 'lil Rinnie's taken a liking to you."

While Atsumu deadpanned at his teammate's lack of seriousness, Tsukimi's eyes widened, the ceiling lights glinting shockingly in her verdant irises. "He what?" her tone was infused with disbelief.

Atsumu covered his face with his hand, groaning inwardly. Leave it to Bokuto to worsen the situation, as always. "Well, you're witty, pretty, and intelligent–there's not much not to like," he tried to tame the scenario. "You've treated him pretty nicely too, while Sunarin was at one of his worse times, and well–" Atsumu took a deep breath here before he continued.

"The guy's been heartbroken ever since his wife died. He needs a change of pace. For himself, and for his kids," he finished quietly.

Turning, he studied the astronomer's troubled expression–then, out of the blue, he himself jumped in his seat with an alarmed look. "Wait–don't get me wrong, I don't want to guilt trip you into dating Sunarin, no, no," he crossed his arms to make an x. "It's just–"

To his surprise and relief, Tsukimi merely laughed as she interrupted him. "I know you aren't, Atsumu," she reassured him with a soft smile. "You're just looking out for him–and I'll have to thank him on your behalf for doing so," she added, almost as an afterthought as she tilted her head to the side. Atsumu chuckled but said nothing. Bokuto was listening into the exchange from the side, his eyes trained on a fly that was buzzing around their heads.

Clutching onto her drink with both hands, Tsukimi bit her lip. "Truth to be told, I can see it. And I won't deny that there is some chemistry," she started slowly. Wisps of her short, black hair hung loosely in the air as she tilted her head, furrowing her brows. "But..."

Atsumu drummed his fingers against the table. "But what?" he prodded her on.

He blinked when he noticed that Tsukimi's face had gone red. "But you can't just–throw all of this onto me!!" The astronomer flung her hands forward, gesturing into the space as she referred to Atsumu's words. The setter smirked slightly as he realized that she wasn't particularly angry, nor was she experiencing any negative emotions–no, she was just... flustered.

"I think you like him too, doll," he remarked dryly, grinning cheekily as Tsukimi turned on him with a furious glare. "Oh, don't get started with me, Miya," she shook a finger at him, then sighed. Leaning down with her elbows on the table, she pushed her bangs back with her left hand. "Ok," her tone was irritable. "What is the overall purpose of you telling me this? Say I do like him–"

"You do..."

"Shut it, Miya! Let me finish!"

"Only if you call me Atsumu!"

"Fine, Atsumu." The setter laughed cheekily as the astronomer rolled her viridescent irises. "Anyways, as I was saying, say I like him. What do you want me to do? Ask him out? 'Cause that sure as hell isn't happening," she shivered.

Atsumu frowned. "Why not?" The girl beside him shrugged in response. "Just a personal preference," she explained half-heartedly. The setter could tell that wasn't the full reason but did not further pry.

"Well, in that case, just... get close to him, please? Wife 'im up, or somethin'," he frowned, causing Tsukimi to spit out a laugh. "Wife him up? You're unbelievable, Atsumu," she shook her head humorously.

The setter winked at her. "Ya better believe it," he teased.

Bokuto sat up. "Wait," he frowned. "But what about Akaashi?"

Tsukimi and Atsumu froze. The astronomer's lively green eyes turned dull at the name of her ex. "What about him?" she asked flatly.

Bokuto's golden eyes looked sadly, pitifully down at her. "He..." the outside hitter paused to look up and meet Atsumu's gaze, unsure if he should continue. The setter merely helplessly shrugged. Say what you need to say, he mouthed.

Gulping, Bokuto looked back down at the astronomer before him. "He... still thinks about you a lot," he finally managed. Tsukimi's brows furrowed in confusion as she listened to him speak. "What?"

"I mean–well, he, um, called me once," Bokuto hastily started in explanation. "He still really misses you, and–well, we all know the end to y'all's relationship wasn't... a normal one." He stopped.

Tsukimi quirked an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to do about it?" she asked. Her tone wasn't angry–just tired, and dejected.

Bokuto looked pitifully down at her. "Just... before you all-in with Suna, maybe... seal your closure with Akaashi first. Decide if you're ready to end that arc, first. For the sake of both of you."

. . .

Akaashi sighed deeply as he looked out the window, slowly, mindlessly rocking his infant son in his arms as he gazed upon the moon. His–ex? Well. Chika was fast asleep in the guest room while the editor tried to rock his son back to sleep. She didn't ask to sleep with him or to get back with her–just to help her raise her son. Their son.

I wonder if she's stargazing right now, Akaashi couldn't help but think. Tsukimi's velvet green eyes seemed to haunt him wherever he went, at all hours of the day.

Does she even think of me? He pressed his lips together tightly as he looked back down at his son, the shadows of the night hiding his pained expression as he held in his grief. The moonlight that flooded the bedroom submerged his son in its pale light, illuminating his face.

Sinking deep into his thoughts, Akaashi barely noticed the beauty mark on the left corner of his son's lip.

Weird, he thought absently, his brows furrowing as he thought about the matter.

Neither Chika nor I have a beauty mark there...