Chapter Text
Nishinoya ran through the crowd of the market, pushing people aside until with pure luck he bumped into Hinata. The boy's shoulder was bleeding again and he was panting from the running.
''Nolly, Nolly, wait!'' Nishinoya tried, but he could already tell that this was going to be a lost cause.
''Leave me alone!''
''You have to help, Nolly, I'm sorry what happened,'' Nishinoya said and tried to make eye-contact with his friend. He really was sorry for what he had done, he knew he couldn't make it up to him and he completely understood Hinata's suspicions. ''We're mackers, ain't we? We'll stick together, I promise!''
''I have to go!'' Hinata said and pulled himself free from Nishinoya's grasp.
''It's for Asahi!''
Seeing Hinata disappear in the crowd, Nishinoya knew he'd failed his Mentor. He ran back to the court and walked in just in time to see how Asahi got pulled before the judge, his right eye was shut and there still blood dripping from his nose.
''Members of the jury, do you find the defendant, Asahi the Jew, guilty or not guilty on healing and dealing with known criminals and obduction and conspiring an attempt to murder a Christian child?'' the judge spoke and looked at the jury where a man stood up.
''Guilty, on all counts.''
Nishinoya could see his Mentor's shoulders droop as the hope was sucked out of him.
The judge faced Asahi. ''Prisoner at the bar, before I pass sentence, you have the right to defend yourself.''
''Thank you, Ushijima,'' Asahi said and cleared his throat. ''You see, I never meant to hurt him, I wouldn't hurt him. I hoped for a reward for keeping him safe. I would never have hurt him!''
''Do you wish for mercy?'' Ushijima asked.
Asahi nodded. ''I do, sir. I don't want to die.''
Ushijima sat back in his chair and smiled menacingly. ''Then ask Christ,'' he simply said. ''Fall to your knees before this assembly and take Christ as your savior. Renounce your faith. Your God. Pray to Christ.''
Nishinoya gasped. Come on, Asahi, just do it! I know you would never renounce your God, but just pretend to do it! Everything to stay alive!
''I cannot do that,'' Asahi murmured softly and looked at the ground. After the loud smack of the hammer on the table, the man got carried away. He didn't struggle for he knew exactly where he was going.
Nishinoya knew it too and with tears in his eyes, he made his way to the square.
~
Kageyama held her sister's locket in her hands as she waited in the living room. She still couldn't believe what had happened just a few hours ago. The truth had come out and Oikawa had been arrested, all because of his greed. And now she was waiting for Hinata to return.
She shot up at the sound of pounding on the door and ran downstairs. She opened the door and gasped when she saw the boy, her nephew, stand before her: his shoulder was covered with blood and he was about to collapse of running.
She reached forward and grabbed Hinata by his waist and took him inside. She closed the door behind her and sat down on the ground, holding the crying Hinata close.
''I just wanted to say I'm sorry, because I didn't steal from you,'' Hinata cried and buried his face in Kageyama's neck.
''Shh, it's alright,'' Kageyama whispered, she raised her head. ''He's here! Hinata's here!'' she yelled and saw Takeda and Ukai appear from the office. She turned back to Hinata: ''we've been looking for you, we were so worried.''
Hinata looked up, eyes red rimmed from crying. ''Looking for me?''
''Yes, for you,'' Kageyama said and she felt her tears fall down her cheeks. ''And here you are... You've come home!'' She held her nephew close, knowing that finally, after ten years of endless searching, her sister's child was now safe. And she silently promised Sugawara that she'd keep Hinata safe, no matter what.
~
Tsukishima sank down against the wall in the sewer as his knees finally gave out. He slumped down, not caring to get wet. He was gasping for air and he closed his tired eyes for a moment.
'' I won't ever leave you, Tsuki .''
A soft voice pulled Tsukishima back to reality. He slowly looked to his right and he saw Yamaguchi standing in the water, a golden light shone around her. She slowly approached him. He didn't even try to run anymore.
'' I'm your little girl, aren't I ?''
Tsukishima closed his eyes and since a long time, he felt a tear run down his cheek.
'' Tsuki? Do you love me? ''
Tsukishima loosened his long scarf from his neck and crawled forward through the water until he found another sewer lid and he threw the other end over one of the bars before securing it tight with two knots. He then wrapped the other end around his own neck and jumped up to grab one of the bars. With one hand to hang and the other to tighten his noose he took one final breath.
'' I do... ''
~
Nishinoya rushed toward the square and was just in time to see how his Mentor was pulled up the stage. The people around him were spitting words filled with venom and shot him glances with fire in their eyes.
Asahi's eyes locked with Nishinoya's and he smiled slightly before a sack was pulled over his head and the noose was put in place around his neck.
Not daring to see, Nishinoya turned away and headed for a small alley where he sank down and pressed his hands against his ears. But no matter how hard he tried to block out the sound, he still heard the people cheering around him as Asahi was hanged.
Nishinoya wiped his tears away and stood up. He shot one last glance over his shoulder and saw how his Mentor was being carried away, quickly replaced by on old beggar woman who took his place over on the shutter.
The boy turned and he felt his heart harden as he pushed people aside. ''Out of my way!''
He would face the world alone now, and he would survive, for Asahi.
~
3 months later
Hinata sat behind the piano, Kageyama was sitting next to him, playing the same tune she played when Hinata had first set foot in his home.
But there was a twist in the song as Hinata now put his own keys in the song, playing two high notes at a matching time in the song, making the others in the room laugh.
He had found his family after ten years of living in a workhouse. Who knew that his father was the son of a rich plantation owner, who knew that his own uncle wanted him dead and who knew that Yamaguchi had been willing to sacrifice her own life to save his from the hands of Oikawa.
Hinata grieved her death every single day and would never forget her, but now he finally found happiness. No more whips, no more beating, no more threats. He had found love and was planning to let it lead himself through the rest of his life.
The last notes of the song echoed through the living room and Kageyama and him stood up to bow for the others. He had a bright smile on his face as he bowed deep for Ukai, Takeda, Kageyama and finally to you.
''Merry Christmas!''