I'll be here for you, through everything

Chapter 16

The libero and middle blocker arrived at the park which was only a short ways away from Hinata's house.

Nishinoya vaguely remembered passing it on his escape from his mother. "What if I see her"?

She had been the reason that Noya was scared to leave the house as well as being afraid that he'd run into a teammate.

There were a couple people walking around with their dogs or with their significant others. Hinata looked over at Noya and saw that he was looking around with wide eyes.

"Are you ok"? He asked. Nishinoya fiddled his fingers. "Y-yeah". Hinata stopped and Noya stopped too.

"Eyes".

"What"? "I'm doing what you did". Nishinoya turned his chin up and made eye contact with Hinata. Shoyo sighed when he saw his panicked expression.

"We don't have to be here if you're nervous," he said. "No, I'm just worried my mom will see me," Noya said.

"Oh" Hinata paused. "I doubt she'll be here". "Yeah maybe" Noya didn't seem convinced. Someone came running by and Nishinoya quickly took Hinata's hand.

Surprisingly he said nothing about it and they kept walking, now hand in hand. They gazed around at the colorful flowers and the bright green leaves that would soon be turning red for autumn.

Nishinoya suddenly let go of Hinata's hand and ran ahead. "Where are you going"? Shoyo asked, confused.

Noya ran back and stuck a flower in his crush's hair. "There" he smiled. Hinata took the flower to look at it.

It was a tiger lily. "I love it". He put it back in his hair and matched Noya's smile.

They continued along and Hinata was searching for a flower. He saw a bunch of narcissus' and picked one. He held it out to the other boy with a blush.

"I thought you needed a flower too". Nishinoya took it from him and placed it behind his ear because it wouldn't stay in his flat hair.

"Thanks" he said, sounding like his usual self again. Hinata was happy to see that and touched that Nishinoya was able to be himself around him.

He was only usually himself at volleyball practice or training camps, even then some of it was an act. Hinata hadn't forgotten the fact that Noya takes antidepressants.

He trusted that he'd tell him when he was comfortable.

"Hinata"! The couple turned around to see Yamaguchi running towards them. Shoyo saw Nishinoya visibly tense up.

He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You're ok". Noya gulped and nodded slowly. Yamaguchi stopped in front of them, catching his breath.

"I..ran..pretty far" he panted. He cleared his throat and stood up. "Hi Nishinoya-san".

Noya looked at his feet and inched behind Hinata to hide. "You weren't kidding," Yamaguchi said to Hinata.

"Nishinoya-san, I'm Yamaguchi but you call me Tadashi, my first name". Noya nodded acknowledging that he remembers.

"Hinata told me everything he knows from that night and I won't push you to say anything but just know I'm here for you". They waited for a response.

"You sound like my dad," he whispered.

"Is that good"?

"Yes". Yamaguchi smiled, glad that he got Noya to speak. "Can you tell me a little bit about him while we walk"? "Sure".

The three of them started walking and Yamaguchi didn't miss the fact that the shorter two were holding hands.

"What do you want to know"? Hinata asked.