Haikyuu Creature Collection

Never 3 (Lev Haiba)

 I didn't want to think about him anymore. He didn't need me... no one needed me. Lev had shown that he didn't need me to protect him anymore... he probably never even needed me to begin with. How could I have even protected him in the first place? I wasn't tall. I wasn't strong. I wasn't anything that could protect anyone...

From the moment I'd slipped out of the hospital, I'd avoided them. Aki... Alisa... Lev... I didn't want to see them... it hurt too much. As much as I wanted to be happy for Aki for finally being able to reunite with his family, I couldn't bear to think about it.

My own family was long gone... vanished without leaving behind a trace. While Aki's family wasn't around, we'd been each other's family.. but now... now that his family was back in his life, there was no room left for me in his life.

I didn't bother going back to school either. What could they possibly teach me anyway? Sitting around at some stupid desk all day was ridiculous and the thought was sickening. Living on the streets wouldn't be so bad anyway... not after the hell I'd been through with the Collectors...

Sighing, I stared up at the clouds from my cozy spot on the grass. There weren't many grassy places in the city... but you take what you can get. Even if I was doing everything I could to avoid them, I couldn't quite bring myself to just leave the city that Lev and Aki lived in. If nothing else, I was least likely to be nabbed by Collectors if Aki was in the city.

Hiding from them was by no means easy though... not with Aki's nose. The man could track you faster than a pack of bloodhounds tracking a bleeding man. If I didn't know all the right tricks, I wouldn't have been able to pull it off for so long. Of course, that was assuming either were even trying to find me... if they weren't so caught up in their own lives.

I rolled over onto my side. Still, even if I had chosen to go off on my own, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss them... As annoying as he may have been, Lev had started to grow on me a bit.

Staying in one place too long wasn't a good idea though. I pulled myself to my feet, deciding I might as well scrounge up some sort of food. I had some coins I'd collected here and there, but it wasn't much... maybe just enough to buy a sandwich somewhere. It wasn't ideal, but I could get by. Had to survive somehow, after all. Not like this was anything really new...

What was Lev doing right now, I wonder? Maybe he was playing volleyball with those friends of his... Maybe he was out with Alisa... Maybe he was with Aki, practicing his transformations... Or maybe he was out on a date with Aki's sister...

I didn't want to think about that option. It really shouldn't have, but thinking about him with her... it hurt. She was prettier than me, that was for sure. No doubt she treated him nicer too. She was Aki's sister, after all... Last time I spoke to Lev I was horrible to him anyway.

As I turned a corner, I saw him. Sitting in a small coffee shop, he was with her. Of course he would be. He'd have to be stupid to not be interested. Well, he was stupid, but even he couldn't be that stupid.

I stopped right in my tracks. They looked like they were having fun. I don't think I've ever seen him smile like that before... or really at all when I was around... She must make him pretty happy... I know that I only ever made him upset...

For just a moment, he looks away from her and out the window, his gaze falling on me. My heart can't take it; I don't want to see the look on his face. I quickly turn away, heading back the way that I came from.

I didn't know where I was going, all I knew was I needed to get away. The further I got, the more my eyes began to sting, watering up despite how much I willed them not to. I didn't really even know why I felt like crying. It wasn't like we'd been friends... at best I'd been a nuisance to him.

Suddenly, something grabbed my arm. I spun around, ready to attack whoever had dared to touch me... only to freeze in my tracks. Lev.

"Why'd you leave?" Whether he meant from the hospital, from his life, or from just now, it didn't really matter. The answer would be the same regardless.

I couldn't bring myself to look at him. He didn't need to concern himself with me. "You don't need me to babysit you anymore..." Pushing people away was all I really knew and being alone was for the best. I was sure of that... and yet... it didn't make it hurt less. "Just go back to your stupid girlfriend."

I know that I don't really mean that, but what else could I say? His hand moves towards my face and I flinch back, swatting his hand away out of fear. I swore... I swore that no one would ever touch me again.. No one... Just the mere thought was terrifying... even if the one trying to touch me was someone dear to me.

"She's not my girlfriend... I don't like her like that." The hand that was still gripping my arm loosened, sliding down to grip my hand. Were his hands always that warm? "Aki told me about the things they did... the bad humans... He said that because of all that, you're scared to let anyone touch you... I don't really get it, but I don't want you to be scared of me."

His grip on my hand tightened. "I know before you were trying to protect me... but shouldn't I be protecting you instead?" For an idiot, he certainly had some smart moments. "When those humans attacked you... I got scared... I didn't think anyone could hurt you, but they did... I thought they'd take you away and I'd never see you again..."

Slowly, I looked up, but I didn't say anything. He couldn't seriously still want me around after the way I'd treated him, could he? Maybe he was a masochist. Or maybe he was just an idiot. Okay, he was definitely an idiot, but that was beside the point.

When I still don't say anything, he speaks up again. "I like you." It's the bluntest way I could have ever heard a confession be, but it definitely explained a lot. "Sakuya said I should let you have some space, but I don't like not seeing you. I want you to come back... so... please?"

I shouldn't. I should stop right now and walk away for good... but I can't. A faint smile worms its way onto my face and all I can do is nod.

Lev Haiba, you've been such a pain in my ass... and even a pain to my damaged heart, but I don't think I could ever trade you for anything in this world.