His Warrior Queen: A Haikyuu!! Novel (Tsukishima x OC)

Chapter 10: Obsession

Nakano woke up the next morning and groaned.  Ugh, she thought, this must be what it feels like to wake up with a hangover.  Except I didn't get to have the fun part of enjoying myself with my inhibitions down.  Her head was pounding thanks to all the crying she had done the night before.  Crying.  In front of Tsukishima.  Pouring out way too much of her internal troubles.

I guess my inhibitions were down, she realized.  Why?  What the heck happened there?  Was it just that it had gotten too bad and I couldn't hold back anymore?  My intention had been to just loop around to the park after Tsukki and I parted ways, though.  Why did I even mention it to him?  Did...did some part of me want him to be there?

She thought about what he'd said to her after her spill about Oikawa's manipulations.  He's right, I was being selfish.  I've made a commitment to this team, and I intend to see it through.  And I neither make nor break this team...otherwise it wouldn't be much of a team.  I wish things had been different in middle school, but they weren't.  And he's probably right about Tobio too.  I should talk to him about it.  She chuckled.  Tsukki and Tobio are actually a lot alike.  I think maybe that's why they don't get along so well most of the time.

Her thoughts drifted to what he did afterwards.  He was so warm.  And surprisingly gentle.  Not at all what she expected from the young man whose contact name in her phone was 'Salty Ass'.  He seemed to know just what to say and do, and when to say and do them.  Thinking back on it, she could feel the lingering sensation of his arms, just quietly holding her.  And his little 'encouragement kiss' on the top of her head.  She found herself wishing she could feel those sensations again.  What the heck is happening?  She sighed.  Maybe I need a good hot shower.  

Nakano began to get ready for school, trying to think about something other than Tsukishima and the events of last night.  She'd had a disturbing realization upon arriving home and talking with her mother.  She thought back through that conversation.  

Thanks to her time in the park with Tsukki, she'd been able to go home and face talking to her mom.  She'd still been sad, of course, but the overwhelming sense of failure and despair she'd been carrying was gone.  She knew if her mom had seen that, there would have been a disaster...probably involving a trip to the hospital, Amalie and maybe even her Dad being forced to come home to deal with her.  If nothing else, I owe Tsukishima for helping me avoid all that.  Her mom had guessed the most basic part as soon as she'd walked in the door.

"Oh, Naka-chan...your team lost, didn't they?"

"Yeah."

"I'm so sorry, honey,"  her mom caught her into a hug.  Nakano waited patiently for her mom to release her.  She'd never felt very close to her mom.  It had always been Mom and Amalie, Dad and Nakano.  She loved her mom of course, but, she never felt like her mom really understood her the way her dad did.  After a while, her mom asked, "Does this mean your season is over already?"

"No, there's another tournament in the Spring that we will participate in..."

And then she'd realized it.  The third years often left their clubs before the spring season to focus on their college entrance exams.  The team going on without Kiyoko, Asahi, Daichi and Suga?  She had this knot in the pit of her stomach when she thought about it.  Coach Ukai had given them the entire day off today.  So it might well be tomorrow before she would find out what the third years planned to do.

She showered, dressed, and ate.  It all seemed odd.  Usually there was morning practice, and often before that she'd get up early to exercise or run.  It felt weird to be leaving her house so late.  Maybe I'll run into Tsukki on the way in, she thought.  I'm feeling like I could use another hug.  She packed her things and headed out.