Bokuto glanced at Akaashi, who was helping Yamaguchi get back into his chair. He'd tried sitting with the help of his wheelchair. And fallen. Twice. 

Independence only went so far for him. 

Akaashi was laughing with him, holding him close. "That was odd." 

"Y-yeah." Yamaguchi laughed. He shifted. Not too painful but still bothering. 

There was a click of a door and everyone looked up. Tsukishima walked into the kitchen, drowsy. "Hey, Angel… Where's the Advil?" 

"Tsuki!" 

"Yes baby, Tsuki. Where-" Tsukishima looked up before clearing his throat. "Hey. You know where the Advil is?" 

Bokuto laughed. "Angel? Baby?" 

"Stop it." 

Yamaguchi pointed to the counter. 

Tsukishima grabbed the bottle and a glass. "How long was I asleep?" 

"Nearly a whole day. And then another eight hours." 

"Eh…" 

"Don't worry! Yams over here has done a lot on his own. He relearned how to make some food. And he's doing a lot more now. Show him what you learned." 

Yamaguchi opened and closed his mouth, preparing himself. "I… Luh… Love… Yuh… You!" 

Tsukishima hesitated, uncomfortable with the fact that he would be showing affection in front of others. He loved Yamaguchi but situations like this made him nervous. 

"Tsuki?" 

Tsukishima pointed to both of the others in the room. 

"Oh!" Yamaguchi clapped his hands and Akaashi and Bokuto looked at him. Yamaguchi covered his eyes and pointed to them. 

Bokuto and Akaashi covered their eyes. 

Tsukishima hurried to Yamaguchi and kissed him, holding him close. He got close to his ear, whispering to him about how proud he was. After that, he let the other males put their hands down. 

He took the medication and sent Bokuto and Akaashi home. He got Yamaguchi to shower with him, holding him close. 

This shower was more intimate than any others since the accident and everything was warm and felt amazing. Tsukishima didn't mind much about the affection. He wanted more affection now. He wanted to go back to normal. 

To when Yamaguchi would dance with him. When he would sing. When he would run and yell. 

When Yamaguchi wasn't ashamed of what his body looked like. 

When he felt like both of them were all there. 

Tsukishima was a mess. Yamaguchi was vibrant but secretive. It hurt. 

****

Yamaguchi stared at the ceiling, panting. This was it. He was going to try today. 

Two doctors lifted him and set his feet on the ground. He gasped, feeling immense pain around his hips and back. 

The pain didn't distract him for very long. He was standing. Not on his own yet but he was doing it and he was trying. 

"Alright, fifteen seconds are up." 

Yamaguchi was lifted back up. He relaxed a bit, closing his eyes. 

"How was the pain this time?" 

"S… Six." Yamaguchi smiled. He moved a leg up a few inches. His knee popped and he flinched. "H-half." 

"Six and a half out of a full ten?" 

"Mhmm." 

"Great job. Should we get you back on the floor now or do you want to try again?" 

Yamaguchi loosened his grip and his feet touched the floor again. Oh it felt so nice… It hurt of course but his feet felt fine. 

"Great job." 

Yamaguchi glanced to the mirror and smiled, tears welling up in his eyes. "Yay…" 

"Yama…" 

Yamaguchi startled, looking up. A few people were in the doorway. His friends. The people he missed. 

Hinata, Kageyama, Yachi, Ennoshita, Tanaka, Noya, Suga, and Daichi. 

Nishinoya had spoken though. He hurried up. "Is there a way I can help out?" 

Yamaguchi lifted his feet. That was an eight. Too much pain. The doctors stared at his friends. Yamaguchi was lowered to the floor where he got hugs from everyone. 

Daichi and Tanaka got to pick him up and the doctors were loving this. Yamaguchi usually wasn't this engaging. Usually, he didn't like others around him. 

Now he was getting a ton of help and affection. Why wasn't Tsukishima there though? Was this a surprise? 

"Yama, you look so much better now," Suga stated. He smiled. "No more bandages and bruises." 

Yamaguchi dipped his pants down a bit and showed him the hip brace he had on. 

"Oh my. Ouch."

Yamaguchi chuckled. He looked to his doctors. 

"That was the last step for this session." 

Yamaguchi nodded. He scooted back until he found his wheelchair and hefted himself up into the seat. He fixed the brake and rolled back and forth until he was sitting comfortably. 

"Wow, he's got a ton of upper body strength," Tanaka whispered. 

Yamaguchi smiled. He grabbed his sunglasses and started rolling himself out of the room. 

He was actually gaining muscle weight now. 

"Oh! We have a surprise for you!" 

Yamaguchi looked up to Suga, curious. 

"You get to go out today. And if anyone messes with you, all of us won't be happy." 

Yamaguchi nodded. It had been a whole six months since he'd woken up. This would be the third time he went in public. 

He let Daichi push him along, wondering where they were going. 

"Suga?" 

"Hm?" 

"Where?" 

"Just around." Sugawara smiled at him. He pointed to a small shop. "Want some coffee?" 

"No t… Thank you." 

"Can you talk very much?" 

"Kinda." 

Ennoshita looked at Tanaka and then Yamaguchi. Tanaka went over to him and held his hand, swinging it. "Ennoshita has a secret~"

Yamaguchi laughed. "Oh?" 

"Hush," Ennoshita mumbled. 

Yamaguchi put his head back and smiled at Daichi. 

Daichi tapped his nose. "This isn't too bad." 

Yamaguchi laughed. He looked around. Shopping? 

Ennoshita gestured to a clothing store. Suga nodded. "Hey Yama, time for a fancy outfit." 

"Hm." Yamaguchi was rolled into the shop. 

"Wanna be more feminine, masculine, or you don't care." 

Yamaguchi shrugged. 

"Pants first." Suga pointed to the door. "Noya, Tanaka, Hinata, and Kageyama. Leave." 

Yachi smiled. She stood by him, helping him out with picking a pair of pants. 

Yamaguchi found a shirt that he loved. It looked normal but was perfect for the cold weather. It was a dark pink but it looked and felt great. 

"Hey, Yama. Are you napping today?" 

Yamaguchi shook his head. He pulled out his card. 

"Woah stop I'm paying." Suga handed over cash and grabbed the bag, putting it in Yamaguchi's lap. He got Daichi to roll Yamaguchi to their car. 

"Tsuki!" Yamaguchi said hurriedly. 

"He knows where you are. Let's get you to your apartment."

Yamaguchi huffed softly. He got in the car before they went home. 

Tsukishima was fast asleep on the couch, cuddling Yamaguchi's pillow and covered in Yamaguchi's favorite throw blanket. His glasses were still on. 

How was his shirt gone but not his glasses?

Yamaguchi got over to him and took his glasses, making the blond wake slightly. "Mm… Hi baby. Do you want snuggles?" 

Yamaguchi managed to get himself on the couch and cuddled Tsukishima. Suga put his clothes on the bed and covered them both up. He set a timer for four that afternoon and smiled. 

"Yama's getting so much better." 

"He is." Daichi yawned. "Lunch date. I'm paying. Let's go." 

"I'm not wearing anything good for one." Suga rushed after him, laughing. 

Tsukishima woke up a bit, confused. "Yama?" 

"Hi!" 

Tsukishima smiled. He kissed Yamaguchi gently. "You look so pretty." 

"Hehe." 

Tsukishima cuddled close. "And you're wearing my cologne again." 

"Yes." 

Tsukishima sat them both up. He grabbed something quick to eat from the kitchen with Yamaguchi. They ate and just held onto each other, enjoying it.

It was comfortable and peaceful for a while. 

That is until the alarm went off and Tsukishima remembered something. "Time to change." 

Yamaguchi whined. 

"This is good. Don't worry." 

Tsukishima changed into some nicer pants and a button-up, trusting Yamaguchi on his own. The smaller male had changed and was nearly ready to go, just needing his wheelchair. 

"This is…" Tsukishima took a deep breath. "That's the same sweater I bought you." 

"Hm?" 

"The day of the accident you were wearing that sweater." 

Yamaguchi looked down at himself and hummed. "Okay…" 

Tsukishima hefted him up. "You look great." 

Yamaguchi smiled. He was placed in his wheelchair and they left the building. Strangely enough, they didn't go to the car but rather down the street. Tsukishima controlled his chair so he couldn't just look up and ask. 

He couldn't talk that much yet actually so that was normal. 

Tsukishima took him to a little shop where other couples were having dates and they were seated. Yamaguchi knew this place. He'd been here before. When though? With who? 

"Tadashi." 

"Hm?" 

"Is your memory acting up?" 

"Uh… Yes." 

"Alright. You used to come here on lunch breaks and took me here a few times. You get the miso ramen but a small bowl since you can't stomach a lot of food at once-"

Yamaguchi snorted. 

"What's so funny?" 

"Stum… Ick." Yamaguchi tried again. And again. 

"Are you making fun of yourself?" 

"Mhmm." 

Tsukishima chuckled. "Idiot."

"Bleh." 

Tsukishima shushed him. "Do you want what you always get?" 

"Mhmm!" 

A few people looked up. 

Yamaguchi noticed and looked away. He played with his hands, not knowing what to do. He only disliked being in public because of this. The stares made it difficult on concentrating on speech and movement. He wasn't in control yet and he couldn't stand the distractions. 

"Relax." Tsukishima reached over and held his hand. "Just ignore it." 

Yamaguchi held his hand in two of his, playing with his ring. "Mhmm…" 

Tsukishima watched, trying not to smile. How sweet. 

Yamaguchi tapped Tsukishima's ring. "Mine?" 

"Soon." 

Yamaguchi smiled. A few minutes later they got their food and Yamaguchi only slightly struggled. Chopsticks had been difficult to use and he'd mostly used a fork for the past few months. 

They did keep crossing and older people started to whisper. Yamaguchi panicked, realizing how disrespectful he looked. "Shit."

Tsukishima looked up. "What is it?" 

Yamaguchi flexed his fingers and the chopsticks crossed. 

"Oh. That's fine. You haven't gotten that muscle memory back. Comas do that to people. We of all people should know that." 

Yamaguchi chuckled softly. He kept eating. People still whispered. But he didn't hurt. 

They finished eating and went back home. It was fun and it was amazing. Tsukishima had been sweet. Yamaguchi felt safe. 

He slept in Tsukishima's largest t-shirt and his own boxers. Tsukishima held him close, caressing him as gently as possible.

His half-asleep figure felt warm and nice. Tsukishima reached over and picked up something he held it out for Yamaguchi. 

"Mm?" 

"It's for you, Angel." 

Yamaguchi took it and stared at it. He giggled softly and slipped the golden band on his ring finger. His eyes fluttered shut and his hand relaxed. The ring glittered and Tsukishima smiled. 

"I love you."