Terushima

The local coffee shop smelled like pastries and melted chocolate.

The interior was open, with broad walkways between long booths where you would be forced to sit shoulder to shoulder with some stranger in order to promote friendliness. The entire front was made of glass, with pretty cursive writing declaring the name and hours, and the door was on the side with a little wooden plate on a string that read, "Open!" Overall, it was pleasant and sweet, painted with vibrant yellows and other bright colors. It breathed happiness and light.

The atmosphere only drove Terushima mad, the perky waitresses and, well, sanity picked at the control he held over himself.

He met there for lunch with his friends during their work days, sipping on his warm coffee and eating their packed bentos contentedly. They didn't always talk much, but today they joked and shoved at each other from across the table. Terushima enjoyed his lunches, as much as someone like him could. They made him have a reason to go to work other than to make money to support himself and his beloved Akaashi. He enjoyed the amusement he shared with his friends from work, but his heart really felt nothing for them. They were simply means to ends, a way to reserve Terushima from blowing his office away.

"All I've been seeing lately on the news and social media are just a bunch of depressing things. People kicking puppies, scamming old ladies, and molesting children—that kind of shit." Yuuto-san said softly, sighing and staring down in frustration at his coffee.

"Honestly, and a lot of fighting, but I find that hysterical." Reo-chan laughed, his head tilted back. "I watch the knock out ones all the time."

Yuuto narrowed his eyes, giving him a sharp glare. "Do you have a life?"

"Not one in particular, why?"

Yuuto scoffed at the blatant disregard, before facing forward and taking a sip of his expresso. "You're a moron."

Terushima frowned at their pointless bickering. It ate at his nerves and put him in a bad mood. Reo always tested his elders, which irked him a bit as well, and he was often quite loud and uncontained. Very similar to Terushima, but his psychotic tendencies were all joking and barking. He had no real bite.

"Hey! Look, it's the AO¡ show," Yuuto perked up, gesturing to the TV behind Teru's head. He turned in his seat, glancing up at the screen where a beautiful blonde woman spoke animatedly to the camera. The volume was muted, so he didn't know what she was saying, but she threw up a peace sign. "Gosh, she's sexy."

Terushima audibly sighed in annoyance, but resisted voicing any of his overly rude thoughts. He turned to face them again rolling his eyes. He didn't understand the appeal of a woman at all, nor did he understand the obsession with men either. He never really felt anything memorable towards any gender, and dated pointlessly through his career. His external personality differed greatly from his true one. Of course, everything changed when he met Akaashi. Maybe his love for Akaashi was merely a strange, random attachment of carnal desire to possess something and have it in his control—although he'd never admit that to himself. "I think she's kinda ugly." He shrugged, decidedly voicing a 'gentler' comment. "Her tits are over-sized and her face is plain. Nothing shocking."

Reo frowned, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Yeah, but aren't you gay?"

Terushima's eyes drifted over lazily and lifelessly. He once again withheld any response that would cause definite alarm. He chose to play with humor, however lame and childish it was the more it irked Reo. "I know you are, but what am I?"

Yuuto spit, bursting into hysterics as Reo fumbled with words. "Wait—What the fuck?"

Terushima shrugged, a small smirk dancing on his lips. He liked Reo's blushing cheeks...

"Sh- Shut up a second," Reo hushed them, staring up at the screen. "That guy with the crazy ass bed head is on!"

Terushima froze, but before he panicked he turned to the waitress. "Hey! Will you turn up the volume?"

The woman behind the counter obliged, and the volume turned up steadily. "—ut the police wouldn't do anything." Kuroo's voice rose. "So, I've been searching for him... It's like he just vanished. Even if he just left me, there would be evidence. He wouldn't leave all his belongings, he would've called into work, he would've alerted someone of his departure. Even if the police refuse to do anything, I know something terrible has happened. Please, somebody, please..." He glanced up to the camera quickly. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears. His voice began to crack, and he turned his head away shyly. Oikawa rubbed his back gently, and Yamaguchi squeezed Tsukki's hand. "Bring him back to me."

His choked sobs sounded on the screen as he stood and briskly walked off the stage. Aoi, the talk show host, turned grimly to the camera. The time in the bottom left corner read twelve thirty. "You heard it here, on the AO! Show. Akaashi Keiji is male, with blue eyes and black hair." A picture of Akaashi showed on the screen. "Let's come together as a community to find him."

The show switched off to commercials, and Terushima stared at the screen longer. He wondered about any witnesses, but there were none. He turned back to face his friends promptly, a straight face and aloofness clear. He didn't notice until his friend made a comment that they were waiting on some kind of drastic outcry from him.

"Hey isn't that guy the Akaashi you always talk about?" Reo said immediately.

"Weren't you together?" Yuuto followed quickly.

Terushima felt his eye twitch in agitation. His mind scattered to find some sort of explanation that would be valid. He feigned surprise, and he forced his eyes to water up. He was quite the actor after all. "I have to go..." He said suddenly, pushing back his seat and rushing out the door. He wiped the false tears from his cheeks as he regained his composure and his posture straightened up.

Akaashi was really going to get it this time.