"Popular" (Haikyuu Au)

20

TW: Mild abuse. Read with caution

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Hinata sprinted home, almost dropping his backpack on the way. He may still have a chance of getting home at a reasonable time if he ran as fast as he could. He kept checking his watch, heart rate only increasing as eight p.m. approached. He had exactly one minute and thirty seven seconds to be in his bed asleep.

Soon his cookie-cutter suburban house came into view, illuminated by the golden glow of street lamps and passing cars. The house looked like something out of a horror movie. The lawn hadn't been mowed in a least two weeks, giving the property an abandoned look. Vines grew up the sides of the house and twisted around gutters and window sills. No flowers grew. It was just a melancholy sea of tan and forest green.

Hinata stilled his breathing and approached the house, creaking the door open slowly.

There was only one light on, which was the light above the kitchen counter. When he saw no one sitting at the island he let out a small sigh of relief. He made his way past the kitchen quiet as a mouse. If he made it to the stairs he would be off the hook.

He rounded the corner and saw the stairs. He smiled, thinking that he might get off free tonight. He thought wrong.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Hinata froze. He felt a cold sweat form on his brow as he turned to face his mother.

"I was going to get ready for bed." Hinata replied cautiously. One wrong word and he would be done for.

His mother, a tall woman with long orange hair, approached Hinata with a grace that she shouldn't possess.

"Where were you this time?" She asked, voice sweet as sugar. Hinata gulped.

"I, I was at a friend's house."

"Since when did you have friends?"

"I've always had friends!" Hinata yelled, feeling protective of his small bunch of friends.

He felt a sting on his cheek.

"That's not how you talk to your mother, you worthless brat."

Her voice was monotone, robotic. The lack of compassion felt just as bad as her hand.

He didn't know where he went wrong. She had been nice to him all through his childhood. She took him to parks and movies, let him have playdates with kids from school.  Then on his fifteenth birthday it just, stopped.

At first it was little things, like not being able to leave the house past ten.Then his curfew got cut shorter and shorter to where it was now, eight p.m. If he wasn't in bed by eight exactly she would deny him breakfast the next morning. Then he had his phone restricted. The only form of communication he had was text, but that was limited to fifteen minutes each day. She always claimed the it was to protect him. What would happen if you got kidnapped in the night? And what if a creep texts you? Restrictions are good, Shouyou, they keep us safe.

Even thought what she was doing was terrible, Hinata was glad that she hadn't done anything to Natsu. He wouldn't be able to bear it if she got hurt. He had no idea on what she was doing to his father, but he hoped it wasn't anything too bad. Hinata genuinely loved his father and would do anything for the man.

"I'm sorry, mom." Hinata mumbled, glancing at the floor. He heard her sigh before he felt a hand under his chin, tilting his head up in a way so that their eyes met. His skin burned where she touched him, sending sparks of discomfort through his body.

"If you're ever late again, even by a second, you will regret ever being born. Understand?"

A lump had formed in his throat at her words. He couldn't make a sound, so he nodded. His eyes burned with held back tears. She smiled. It wasn't a manipulative smile, this one was real.

"Now go run along to bed, Shouyou." Hinata nodded and briskly walked to his room. He could feel her gaze burning into his back for his entire walk of shame.

When he made it to his room he shut the door and sighed. That was another thing that she had restricted. He wasn't allowed to lock his door under any circumstances, allowing her to come in at anytime. The only privacy that he had was a journal that he kept hidden under his mattress, tucked deep into the folds. He didn't write in it as a diary, but he did use it to keep bad test scores and team photos away from prying eyes.

Hinata undressed quickly and got into his pajamas. He climbed into bed, setting his phone down on his nightstand.

As he was about to turn off his light his phone chimed with a new notification.

Kageyama 😊

Thanks for coming over today. You free again tomorrow? 

Hinata blushed. Just as he was going to reply his fifteen minutes expired, making the screen go black. He groaned in frustration. He slapped his phone down on the table and turned the light off, flipping over so he didn't have to look at the device for a second longer.

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I am so sorry for not updating. I've been busy with school and I just couldn't find the inspiration to write this. I'm sorry to keep you waiting.

I'm sorry, and have a nice day/night! [No takebacks, J]

~Daniel