A Co-Captain's Doubts

A Long Ride Home

He was aware Daichi was helping him, but that didn't stop Sugawara from giving a feeble groan and reaching a searching hand up to grab at his face, his palm slapping over Daichi's cheek as his fingers curled around his nose. The setter's head remained slumped on his captain's shoulder as the group walked back to the bus. He wasn't enjoying this piggyback ride, and his head swam with the rocking of his friend's every step. He felt so disoriented and the harsh lighting in the halls prevented him from keeping his eyes open.

"Dai-Daichi... Slower- Please, walk slower."

Squinting his right eye shut as Sugawara's thumb came dangerously close to poking him in it, Daichi gave a sympathetic smile and replied the best he could with a hand half-covering his mouth.

"If I go any slower, it'll take the rest of the night just to reach the parking lot. It's not too much farther, hang in there."

Moaning, Suga squeezed the hand still gripping Daichi's nose and buried his face even further into the shoulder supporting his head. "Whatever... It's... Your jersey getting puked on."

Tanaka slowed his pace to walk beside Daichi, tilting his head down to look at Sugawara.

"Dude, how do you even have anything left to throw up? Didn't you skip lunch to toss to Hinata earlier?"

His response was a groan and then a muffled; "Hnn...Had some water."

Wait, he hadn't eaten lunch? And Daichi hadn't noticed? Lips pressing into a tight line, the captain strained his neck a little to shake the hand from his face and looked over his shoulder as they made their slow progress to the exit.

"Suga, why didn't you eat lunch?"

The silver-haired boy was quiet and Daichi counted eight steps before he answered.

"Calming Hinata down... More important."

"More important than eating? When was the last time you ate? Breakfast?"

Daichi could both hear and feel the soft sigh Sugawara let out.

"...It's fine, Daichi."

It was not fine. Nothing Suga said would convince him, but he also knew now wasn't a good time to argue it. Not when the other boy could hardly remain conscious. Lips pressing into a line again, Daichi decided to hold off on the conversation. He would talk to him about it later.

"Tanaka, hold the door, will you?" Daichi said as they finally made it to the entrance of the building, the group of boys filing out onto the concrete sidewalk illuminated by streetlights and a silvery full moon.

"Sure, watch your elbows."

Daichi nodded his thanks as he maneuvered Suga and him through, careful not to bump Suga's knees that stuck out on either side of him. Once outside, the chill of winter bit at their skin and turned their breath into white puffs, Suga giving a stuttered shiver on Daichi's back.

With sudden realization, Daichi remembered his friend had never put his warmup gear back on like the rest of them. He hadn't had his bag while in the infirmary and was still clothed in just his black and orange uniform.

"Hey," Daichi called, looking around at his teammates as they came to stand beside the bus. "Who grabbed our bags?"

Hinata pushed to the forefront, his gear slung over his shoulders and accompanied by Daichi's light grey duffle. "I've got yours, Captain! I was going to grab Suga-San's too, but Kageyama got all mean and took it from me."

Kageyama appeared beside Hinata, his head downturned and his eyes on the ground as he shuffled up next to him. He didn't say anything in retaliation, but just as Hinata said, Kageyama's bag hung from his shoulder alongside Suga's brown one.