Saving Shoyo ✔︎

11//Secrets//

Hinata POV

I felt immediately guilty after I'd finally calmed down. I can't believe I just wasted Tendou-san's time like that, he must think I'm some kind of attention seeker. What the hell is wrong with me? Oikawa's not even here and I'm hyperventilating? How pathetic.

I turn in the taller boy's arms, but he speaks before I can apologize. "That letter," he says, pointing, and I freeze. "That was the trigger, wasn't it?"

I flinch, but nod. If doesn't seem like Tendou-san will invade my privacy by trying to read it. I feel his concern weighing down on me and I shrink guiltily beneath it.

"Don't worry about it, you're not a burden."

My head snaps up at his words, blinking owlishly at the redhead towering above me. "How did you-,"

"I used to have these as a kid, you know," he confided, and my breath constricted. "I always hated it when I needed help."

Ah. So that's how he knew. I feel slightly better somehow.

"Ushijima or I can help you if you ever feel like this again, okay?" Tendou-san reassures, releasing me.

"Ushijima?" I question softly after a moment.

"Ah, well, he always used to help me through mine...," he replied, running his taped up fingers through his unruly hair. "And you two seem pretty close."

I wince. I practically forced my friendship on him...I'm sure he's fed up by now. No sense bothering him with something like this. I'll find a way to deal with it.

"T-thanks, I'll keep that in mind." I'm always lying nowadays.

Tendou-san nods quietly before leaving me to change, a quick "stay hydrated!" his only farewell.

I ignore the jump in my chest, pushing down the nausea as I bent to retrieve the paper from where I'd dropped it. The first line paralyzed me, but I forced myself to reread the brief message.

Dear Chibi~chan~,

Don't think you're the victim here- you didn't even struggle that hard. Or are you just that weak? I'm sure your team wouldn't be too happy to find out how pathetic you really are.
Best keep things private, don't you agree?

~Your truest love

I feel my breaths start to become shallow, and I quickly look away, composing myself. As much as I hate it, hate him, Oikawa is right. I am pathetic, and that's something I'd never want my team to know. This part of me is something I can never let them see.

Sorry Ushijima...I just can't do it.

I burn the letter later that evening.

Ushijima POV

I'm met with a piercing, silver stare as I emerge from the baths, toweling my damp hair half-heartedly. "We need to have a chat, Ace."

I blink, scrutinizing Karasuno's gentle setter. "About?" I have my guesses but...

"Hinata."

Looks like I was right.

~

I sit uncomfortably across from Hinata's teammates, feeling out of place in the Karasuno dorms. "Don't worry," Daichi said, "Hinata just went to shower."

I froze. "Alone?"

"What? Oh, he went with Kenma and Kuroo I think. Why?" The tension melted from my body at Sugawara's words. I'd been about to sprint for the baths like a bat out of hell.

I cleared my throat, declining to answer lest I reveal something Hinata would rather be kept a secret. "What is it you needed to discuss?"

Daichi and Sugawara exchange glances at my lack of an answer, but chose to ignore it. What a relief. "Kenma-kun...spoke to us about what happened between you three." I tensed. What had Kenma said, exactly?

"Listen I-," I begin.

"What's going on with Shōyo?" I glance over to see Nishinoya, their libero, glaring daggers at me, accusation written in every line of his face. "What're you doing to him?!"

I grit my teeth, finding unfriendly faces everywhere I looked. "Listen, okay, I haven't done anything to hurt your friend." Except fail him in the worst way possible.

I shove the thought away.

"Then tell us what's been going on," Suga pressed, seeming to be willing to believe me at least.

"I can't do that," I wince, wishing I could, but it's not my place to say. "I would be breaching Hinata's trust."

"You expect us to believe that?" The tall middle blocker- Tsukishima? -chimed in with a scoff. "Sounds like an excuse to me." The freckled boy beside him nodded his agreement.

I had a feeling they'd say that. God, what an awful situation. "Hinata is going through a lot right now, and he has his reasons for wanting to keep things to himself-,"

"Then how the hell do you know?!" Tanaka shouts, pointing at me in accusation. I can't say I blame them for being suspicious, it's not like Hinata and I were all that chummy before this disaster.

"Pure coincidence," I sigh, remembering when I'd first stumbled upon him and that disgusting setter in the bathroom. I should've reported Oikawa right then and there. "I happened to come across the incident and I've been doing my best to help him. I'm trying to convince him to level with you guys but...," I rub my eyes in frustration.

Sugawara looked down, seemingly at a loss, before he spoke up, voice softer than it had been before. "If you can't tell us the truth, at least tell us what we can do to help."

"Just treat him the same as always," I say after a moment. "He needs some sense of normalcy right now."

The Captain and vice Captain nod sullenly, and I feel a twinge of regret as I take my leave. It might not be my place to share on Hinata's behalf, or to beat the shit out of Oikawa Tooru, but that doesn't mean I don't want to.

My face twists into a frown. Since when was I a violent person? Since when did I feel things like this? It's all because of that delicate, orange-haired boy who is always flitting about in my head. Normally, I wouldn't go to such lengths to help someone, to make them feel safe, if I didn't even know them.

Why now? I can't possibly...like Hinata...

Could I?

I inhaled sharply in the empty hallway, resting my head against the cool wall. I can't like Hinata.

That would be too selfish of me.

~

Wordcount: 1021

A/n

Dayum. 3 whole chapters.

Where has this motivation been?? Where??

And I might be uploading more soon,,,I've got ~plot ideas~ mwahaha

LOVE YOU ALL SM PLS VOTE AND COMMENT IF YOU ENJOYED IT <3

~Mor-chan