Recovery (Nishinoya x Reader) - Sequel

Chapter 2: Wounds

*Y/N's POV*

A bead of sweat trickled down to my chin.
My arms were decorated in deep blue bruises.
Rough skin and dried up blood coated the heel of my palms.
My bare feet blistered across the coarse pavement of the backyard patio.
Every inch of my body ached.

But I couldn't let them see me falter.

As soon as I show one sign of fatigue or discomfort, practice would come to an end.

I need to keep going.
Cookies are nothing but sugar and calories.

I know I'm wrong.
But still, it's hard to relearn when I've viewed exercise as punishment for so long.

Telling the boys would be the right thing to do... but I don't want them to know. I just wanted to get away with it.

Still... I have other reasons to keep going!

I need to get better.
I need to be the best...
Otherwise quitting martial arts was pointless.
But what was I going to be the best at?
Setter? Libero?

I couldn't be a spiker or a middle blocker that's for sure. I'm short, but I can't jump like Hinata. I have so many setter influences and can easily obtain advice from several perspectives... but with my body type and quick reflexes from martial arts... I'd be a perfect libero.

Now don't get me wrong, Yuu is an amazing libero and a great teacher... but I only get to see his point of view. I could ask Yaku to teach me, but I've barely ever talked to him. It would be selfish of me to ask. But maybe I can call Kuroo later and convince him to talk to Yaku for me.

I focused my attention back to the game.

Suga set the ball to Hinata.

Hinata spiked the ball directly into Tobio's block.

Rebounding off his hands, I dove for one last receive, grazing my right arm in the process.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Drained, I continued to lie on the ground, gasping for air.

Within mere seconds, messy orange hair obstructed my line of vision.

"Y/N, are you okay?" Hinata asked. "You look really worn out."

Way to state the obvious.

"Yeah. Let me just," wheeze, "catch my breath," gasp, "Hinata."

I flipped over to find four more pairs of eyes staring back at me.

Well this is uncomfortable.

"I think we're done here," Suga stated firmly, his eyebrows furrowed together.

My eyes widened. He's never treated me like that to me before... He was always kind, soft spoken, and understanding. It hurt to see him look at me that way... so angrily.

"You've pushed yourself too far this time."

"Koushi..." but he was already long gone.

Hinata grimaced, "He'll come around. Don't worry. I'll go talk to him!"

"Thanks Hinata," I sent him a tired smile.

"Alright, then lets get you all cleaned up," Yuu extended a hand to me. "Those scrapes won't clean themselves." I took hold of his hand with my unblemished arm and was heaved off the pavement.

As I came to a standing position, my brother seized my left arm and inspected the dark markings scattered across my limbs. Pressing his thumb into one of the bruises, I winced at the sharp pain. "Get those cuts cleaned. I'll go grab you some ice in the meantime," he stated plainly.